Nutritional and textural studies on dietary fiber-enriched muffins and biscuits from cassava-based composite flours

The demand for designer food products having specific nutritional/functional attributes is on the increase worldwide. Composite flours prepared from malted and pregelatinized cassava through appropriate blending with cereal and/or legume and bran sources were used for making muffins and biscuits with high fiber content. Muffins made from Termamyl-malted and pregelatinized cassava flour had lower starch content (38.84-41.82%) than those from germinated gram amylase malted flour. The products had protein contents of 4.50-5.60% (<1.0% in cassava flour). High dietary fiber content of 2.77-3.44% and 3.20-3.40%, respectively, was obtained in muffins and biscuits made from cassava-bran blends. The spread ratio of the test biscuits was fewer by five to eight units than the control biscuits made from refined wheat flour. The low in vitro starch digestibility of muffins/biscuits from cassava-bran blends (24-29 units and 31-34 units, respectively) was a specific advantage, suggesting their therapeutic use for obese and diabetic people. Muffins made from Termamyl-malted mixes had lower hardness and toughness than those from gram amylase malted flour. The high dietary fiber content of the two baked goods indicates their use for cardiovascular patients and also for conditions such as constipation and its related problems. The study focuses on the use of cassava flour for making two baked goods viz., muffins and biscuits. The nutritional and functional properties of cassava flour were modified through malting and pregelatinization and further by blending with cereal and/or legume flours and bran sources. The composite flours that have high protein content and dietary fiber (DF) content were further enriched through the addition of wheat bran at levels of 10.0 g per formula. The products developed had high DF content of 2.77-3.44% and protein content of 4.50-5.60% (dwb). The low in vitro starch digestibility of muffins and biscuits from cassava-bran blends was an additional advantage, suggesting their use in medical nutrition therapy for treating obese and diabetic people as well as for management of cardiovascular and intestinal problems.