Properties of Malanga Flours and their Use in Pastes and Gluten Free Breads

Abstract

The use of Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott and Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott as a raw material in form of starch or flour is a nutritious and sustainable alternative to wheat and other grains. This alternative allows farmers to minimize losses after harvest and guarantee food safety since its nutritional, digestive and healthy properties are recognized by the sci-entific community. Nevertheless, there is still scarce information about these rhizomes that limit their application. This thesis illuminates the functional and technological characterization of the starches obtained from corms and cormels of Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott. Likewise, the effect of the combination of enzymes, hydrocolloids, potato starch, pre-gelatinized flour on Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott cormels flour to-ward the development of a gluten-free bread was technologically evalu-ated. Furthermore, the technological and digestive properties of a basic formula for pastes developed from cormels flour of Xanthosoma sagittifo-lium (L.) Schott and Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott was evaluated. In addi-tion, a review was conducted and the health effects clinically demon-strated are exposed. It was shown that there are significant differences between the starch of corms and cormels of the same species. It was concluded that the flour from Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott cormels is a good option to in-crease the nutritional value of gluten-free breads. Among the strategies tested, the bread made from mixtures with potato starch was the least desirable, but all strategies tested gave breads with lower glycemic index than gluten-free counterparts reported in other studies. For the first time, this works recommends the use of cormels flour from Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott and Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott was reco-mmended to develop pastes to nutritional value to gluten-free products. In addition, the bibliographic review carried out allowed the compilation and analysis of the clinically demonstrated effects, especifically, antihy-perglycemic, antihepatotoxic, antihypertensive, hypoglycemic, anti-cancer, hypolipidemic and prebiotic effects, among others, of the bio-active compounds present in these plants.