Journal of Advances in Food Science & Technology

This study investigated the valorisation of banana peel waste through its incorporation into an instant dhokla premix and evaluated the resulting product quality. Banana peels were processed into banana peel powder (BPP) and incorporated into a composite flour base to prepare four formulations: a control (T0) and three fortified samples containing 2% (T1), 5% (T2) and 8% (T3) BPP. The study was conducted in the Department of Food and Nutrition, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, from January 2026 to May 2026. The formulations were assessed for physical properties, sensory acceptability, proximate composition and microstructural characteristics. BPP incorporation reduced cooking time from 10.0 min in the control to 6.5 min in T3 and influenced product height after cooking. Sensory evaluation by 30 semi-trained panellists showed that the control sample had the highest mean acceptability score (7.86), while T2 recorded the highest score among fortified samples (7.67). Proximate analysis of T2 showed a slight reduction in moisture content and an increase in ash content from 1.30 to 1.86 g/100 g, while protein, fat, fibre and carbohydrate levels remained relatively stable. SEM and EDS observations indicated irregular particle morphology and the presence of carbon, oxygen, potassium, chlorine and phosphorus. Overall, the 5% BPP formulation provided the most suitable balance between nutritional improvement and sensory acceptability.