Utilization of Yellow Corn in Preparing High Nutritional Value Gluten-Free Noodles

Abstract

The present study aimed to produce gluten-free noodles from yellow corn grits, rice flour and chickpea powder blends and then evaluate their sensory, nutritional and technological characteristics. Yellow corn grains were ground and sieved to obtain the grits at three particle size (˂ 200, 200–350 and 350–450 μm). The highest protein content was observed at particle size 200-350 and 350-450 µm and the particle size 200-350 µm had the highest value of water hydration index (WHI) which are needed for noodles making. Consequently, noodles were formulated using yellow corn grits (200-350µm), 10% chickpea powder and different substitutions of rice flour (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50%). Noodles contained 40% rice flour were closed to semolina noodles with respect to sensory characteristics. Noodles with 10% rice flour showed high values of protein, fat, Ca, Zn and β-carotene and low total carbohydrates content. The hardness and cohesiveness of noodles were increased by increasing the rice flour percentage. The gluten-free noodles made with 40% and 50% rice flour as yellow corn grits substitution possessed the highest cooking time. Increasing the rice flour percentages in the noodles formulation lead to increase cooking weight and swelling percentage and decreasing the cooking loss and protein loss percentages. Gluten-free noodles contained 50% yellow corn grits, 40% rice flour and 10% chickpeas powder showed the highest overall acceptability. It could be concluded that using of yellow corn grits, rice flour and chickpea powder in gluten-free noodles formulation are suitable for celiac disease individuals