Customer-Oriented Development and Characterization of Spice-Enriched Extruded Breakfast Cereal From Rice Bran and Unripe Banana Flour.

Developing functional breakfast cereals that are both nutritionally enhanced and consumer-acceptable remains a key challenge for product innovation. This study developed a consumer-oriented, spice-enriched extruded breakfast cereal formulated by partially substituting corn grits with rice bran and unripe banana flour, with product optimization guided primarily by sensory evaluation. Four formulations containing 0%-3% of a spice blend (ginger, cinnamon, and lemongrass) were produced using extrusion cooking and evaluated under three serving conditions (without milk, with cold milk, and with warm milk). Product development followed a three-step approach. First, sensory differences among formulations were assessed using Check-All-That-Apply (CATA), Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA), and hedonic rating tests, revealing significant variations in aroma, taste, and aftertaste attributes. Across serving conditions, the formulation containing 1% spice achieved the highest overall liking (p < 0.001 without milk; p < 0.05 with warm milk). Functional characterization showed that increasing spice levels significantly enhanced total phenolic content (17.53-29.16 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid content (9.51-26.96 mg QE/g), and antioxidant activity (6.08-103.36 mg TE/g ABTS; 4.25-30.74 mg TE/g DPPH) (p < 0.001). Second, the optimal formulation was identified using Bayesian multi-criteria decision analysis integrating sensory acceptance with nine physicochemical parameters, confirming the 1% spice blend (SB) as optimal. Third, the selected formulation was further characterized for glycemic response. The glycemic index of the optimized product was 47 ± 8, categorizing it as a low-glycemic food. These findings demonstrate that modest spice incorporation can maintain consumer preference while improving functional properties, supporting the development of healthier extruded cereal products. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study provides a practical framework for developing spice-enriched extruded breakfast cereal (SEBC) using rice bran and unripe banana flour while maintaining consumer acceptance. The consumer-oriented product development approach enables food manufacturers to optimize spice levels to achieve a desirable balance between flavor, texture, and functional properties without compromising consumer acceptance. The study further demonstrates the feasibility of converting underutilized agricultural by-products (i.e., rice bran and unripe banana flour) into commercially viable, functional cereal products with improved nutritional attributes.