Optimization of the method of hydrothermal treatment of mogar grain for production of food concentrate "Talkan"

Abstract

The possibility of using mogar grain for the production of food concentrates based on the traditional national dish "Talkan" is considered. "Talkan" is a national food concentrate for Republic of Kazakhstan, which has been used as a staple food in long-distance trekking by various cultures for centuries. Traditionally, talkan is prepared from various cereals, particularly millet, wheat and barley. When boiling water and oil are added, it turns into a hearty porridge, and when oil and sugar are added, it becomes a delicious dessert. The difficulty lies in the careful handling and preparation of the mogar grain. During intensive cooking, the grain can easily overcook, resulting in all the valuable nutrients being leached into the broth. In addition, improperly prepared mogar can burn during further roasting. To determine the optimal parameters of mogar hydrothermal treatment and to create a high-quality food concentrate based on the national dish "Talkan", a complex experiment was conducted using modern methods of experiment planning. A number of variables were tested during the experiment, including temperature limits and duration of cooking, as well as temperature, duration and intensity of stirring during drying and roasting of mogar. The study showed that the most favourable conditions for mogar grain involve cooking at an initial temperature of between 15–20 °C for about 60 minutes, gradually reaching 100 °C. The drying and roasting processes are best carried out for 25 minutes, with a layer thickness of 25 mm and a surface temperature of 250 °C. The determined of hydrothermal treatment serve as a basis for the design of specialised equipment for preparation of mogar grain for the purpose of making Talkan