Abstract
Cassava flour has a high potential to contribute as a raw material in the food industry. This study was aimed at characterizing flours from Sri Lankan cassava varieties with a view to explore the potential in food applications. Flours prepared from five cassava varieties, namely, Kirikawadi, MU51, Swarna, Shani, and Suranimala, were analyzed for proximate composition and physicochemical, functional, and antioxidant properties using standard methods. Flours from tested cassava varieties contained <1% crude fat and <2% crude protein. Flour from MU51 contained the highest amount of HCN (48.05 mg/kg) while flour from Suranimala contained the lowest (4.85 mg/kg). Total starch and amylose contents of flours were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those of commercial wheat flour. Flour from Suranimala contained approximately similar amylopectin content as commercial wheat flour. Water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, water solubility index, swelling power, emulsion activity, and emulsion stability of flours from five cassava varieties were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of commercial wheat flour. Swarna was identified as the richest source of phenolic compounds (4.44 mmol GAE/100 g dry weight) among the five varieties. Results showed the promising application potential of flours from these five cassava varieties in different food applications such as weaning foods, bakery foods, and edible films.
Highlights
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important perpetual root crop that provides food for over 500 million people in the world [1, 2]
The flesh of Kirikawadi, MU51, Shani, and Suranimala was white while the flesh of Swarna was light yellow reflecting the differences in chemical composition (Figure 2)
This study revealed that proximate composition and physicochemical, functional, and antioxidant properties of tested cassava flours were considerably affected by the varietal differences
Summary
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important perpetual root crop that provides food for over 500 million people in the world [1, 2] It is a consistent and inexpensive food source assuring the global food security by providing the carbohydrate dietary requirement of the people especially, in the low-income countries [3]. Cassava storage roots have a short shelf life due to postharvest physiological deterioration that occurs shortly after harvesting [12]. It causes discoloration of the roots making them unsuitable for consumption or being used as a raw material in the food industry. Immediate channeling of the harvested storage roots to form value-
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