Development of pasta using composite flour of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), soy (Glycine max) & rice (Oryza sativa) flours

Abstract

Pasta made from wheat flour is a convenience food globally. This study investigates the use of composite flour to reduce wheat flour consumption in Sri Lanka and develops a blend of locally available ingredients, viz., sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) accession ‘Carrot Bathala’, soy (Glycine max), and rice (Oryza sativa), using a Taguchi orthogonal experimental design. Four samples (T2, T3, T4, and T8) were selected for final evaluation through preliminary sensory evaluation. The ratios of the three ingredients for samples T2, T3, T4, and T8 were 50:30:20, 41.6:33.3:25, 60:20:20 and 63.6:27.2:9, respectively. A pasta made from 100% wheat flour served as a control. The sensory evaluation was performed by 30 untrained panellists utilizing a 9-point hedonic scale and the results were analysed using a one-way Friedman test with a confidence interval of 95%. All treatments scored significantly higher in sensory properties than the control, with T2 achieving the highest scores for appearance, taste, hardness, and overall acceptability. From nutritional perspective, T2 contained significantly more fat (2.19%), fibre (2.54%), energy (510.3 kcal/100 g), ash (3.35%), and protein (14.57%) compared to the control. However, moisture (10.90%), carbohydrate (74.31%), and acid-insoluble ash (0.05%) were significantly higher in the control. T2 had the lowest cooking time and water absorption (91.35%) but higher cooking loss (11.25%). The highest values of hardness, chewiness, and gumminess can be observed in pasta made from composite flour. The composite flour pasta met SLS420:2019 standards, suggesting its potential as a gluten free alternative that could be commercialized in Sri Lanka.