Physico-Chemical and Pasting Characteristics of Cassava, Wheat Flours and Their Composite Blends

Background and Objective: Given the high abundance of cassava flour in the country and the imperative to bolster cassava farmers’ income, there’s a proposal to amplify the proportion of cassava flour in bread and other product formulations. This initiative aims to catalyze job creation along the production value chain, thereby augmenting the nation’s GDP and bolstering its foreign exchange earnings. This study seeks to scrutinize the physico-chemical attributes of cassava and wheat flour and fabricate composite flour blends of cassava/wheat at varying substitution levels from 0 to 100%. Materials and Methods: Composite flours were prepared by blending cassava flour and wheat flour in the ratios of 100:0 (CS/WT), 90:10 (CS/WT), 80:20 (CS/WT), 70:30 (CS/WT), 50:50 (CS/WT), 30:70 (CS/WT) and 0:100 (CS/WT), respectively. The blends were analyzed for pasting properties using standard methods. These blends were evaluated for their pasting properties to gauge their suitability for diverse food applications. Furthermore, proximate analysis was conducted on quality cassava flour, alongside whole wheat flour, yielding varying compositions in terms of moisture, crude protein, ash content, fat, crude fiber and carbohydrate. Results: The dough mixing stability exhibited an upward trajectory with increasing wheat flour content, potentially attributable to gluten content. The results delineate a range of pasting temperatures from 73.35 to 89.7°C, with other pasting parameters exhibiting a declining trend as wheat flour content increased, except for setback and peak time which exhibited an upward trend. Overall, the findings shed positive light on the characteristics of cassava-wheat blends, offering avenues for harnessing cassava’s potential and augmenting value-addition prospects for product diversification. Conclusion: The pasting properties assessment revealed distinct parameters for cassava and wheat flours, emphasizing their unique attributes and potential applications in food formulation.