The benefits of fermentation in improving the pasting properties of composite sweet potato flour and its application in composite white salted noodles

Abstract

Fermentation treatments change the pasting properties of sweet potato flour, which may improve its utilization in composite flour. This research was carried out to evaluate the pasting properties of composite fermented sweet potato flour and the quality of composite salted noodles using those composite flour. Sweet potato slices were fermented using five different starters (spontaneous, Lactobacillus plantarum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, a mix of Lactobacillus plantarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and a mix of Lactobacillus plantarum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and processed into flour. Native sweet potato flour without fermentation was also prepared as a control. A total of six sweet potato flour (SPF) were then used to substitute 50% of the wheat flour in composite white salted noodles. Then, the pasting properties of the composite flour and the quality of the noodles were evaluated. Results proved that composite fermented SPF had higher pasting properties (peak and final viscosity, break down, and set back value) than those of composite non-fermented SPF. The substitution for fermented SPF in composite white salted noodles decreased cooking loss, cooking time, solid loss, soluble loss, swelling index, adhesiveness, and water absorption, while cohesiveness, elasticity, elongation, and colour brightness increased significantly. Therefore, the incorporation of fermented SPF enhanced the quality of composite white salted noodles.