Breadmaking Potential of Andean Roots and Tuber Starches from Ahipa (Pachyrhizus ahipa), Oca (Oxalis tuberosa), and Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza)

Aim is to explore the breadmaking potential for gluten-free goods of non-conventional starches from Andean crops ahipa, oca, and arracacha. Their characteristics and performance in breadmaking are compared with those of cassava, taken as a reference for conventional gluten-free root starch. Physicochemical properties of breads are studied along with the pasting and thermal properties, composition, and α-amylase hydrolysis of starches. Arracacha starch has the lowest amylose content (2.4%) and the highest water hydration (1.4 g g−1). Its batter shows adequate proofing, but the bread is highly adhesive, with dense crumb. Ahipa starch paste has the lowest peak, trough and final viscosities determined by rapid visco analyzer, and the highest hydrolysis rate (kRVA = 2.30 min−1). Its batter exhibits, along with oca, the highest volume increase during fermentation (193–197%), but structure collapses in the oven and no alveoli are observed in the crumb. Conversely, oca forms a crumb structure similar to cassava, but with higher cell density (131 alveoli cm−2), cohesiveness (0.95), and resilience (0.65) than the latter (71 alveoli cm−2, 0.88, and 0.45, respectively). Oca starch has lower pasting temperature (64 °C) and the starch paste has similar hydrolysis rate (kRVA = 1.92 min−1) compared to cassava (71.9 °C and 2.08 min−1, respectively), making it a suitable option for providing gluten-free yeast-leavened breads with improved technological properties and a comparable glycemic index.

Financial support from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) and University of Manitoba is acknowledged. C.D. acknowledges BEC.AR Programme scholarship and CONICET for the financial support of this work.

Peer reviewed