Predictability of the consistency of porridges using different methods to measure flour swelling

Abstract

The consistency of porridge made from sweet potato, cowpea, soybean, sorghum, and maize flours was measured in a texture analysis method using back extrusion. The consistency measured was correlated to the swelling volume of the flours, and determined by centrifugation, gravity sedimentation, and least gelation concentration. The reference level of maximum acceptable consistency was estimated from measurements on two ready-to-use child porridges. In general, porridge consistency could not be predicted accurately from swelling volume measured using any of the methods. However, gravity sedimentation, which is the simplest, gave the most consistent results. This method could be used in the field to provide a conservative approximate maximum flour concentration for porridge of acceptable consistency. Received: January 15, 2013 Revised: May 8, 2013 Accepted: May 16, 2013. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim.