Sweet potato starch-based tapioca grits: influence of moringa seed flour inclusion on the functional, rheological, and sensory qualities of the gruel

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This study aimed to evaluate the influence of moringa seed flour (MSF) inclusion on the functional and rheological properties of sweet potato starch (SPS)-based tapioca grits and the sensory acceptability of the gruel. The MSF (2-10%) was properly blended with the SPS (90-98%), using the Central Composite Rotatable Design of the Design-Expert Software. Each blend of the SPS and the MSF, 100%SPS, and cassava starch (CS) were separately toasted at 120 -150oC for 20 min. The grits' functional and pasting properties and the gruel's sensory acceptability were determined using standard methods. The results depict that the MSF inclusion increased the bulk density (80.00 to 83.00%) and oil absorption capacity (70.00 – 81.50%), while the water absorption capacity (518.50 – 108.50%), solubility index (14.00 – 2.00%), and swelling power (13.75-5.58%) decreased. Also, the SPS-MSF tapioca grit’s peak (332.88 – 426.17 RVU), trough (162.04 – 302.71 RVU), final (228.08 – 456.59 RVU), and setback (66.04 – 153.88 RVU) viscosities, peak time (4.34 – 5.90 min) and pasting temperature (57.40 – 82.40oC) increased with MSF inclusion, and the breakdown viscosity (170.84- 52.79 RVU) decreased. Although all the sensory attributes of the SPS-MSF tapioca gruel fall within the likeness range, tapioca gruel produced from 98 g SPS and 10 g MSF blends (7.91) was very much liked compared to the CS tapioca gruel (7.09) in terms of the overall acceptability. Therefore, adding MSF to the SPS-based tapioca grits influences most of the cooked gruel's rheological properties and sensory acceptability.