Effect of dried yam flour (Dioscorea schimperiana) on cooking quality, digestibility profile and antioxidant potential of wheat based pasta.

Yam flour (Dioscorea schimperiana) prepared
by traditional (TPYF) and modified (MPYF) processes
has been used as an ingredient, to develop bio-functionally
enriched pasta. The yam flours have been blended with
Durum semolina flour at different levels (10, 20, 30 & 60%)
to produce pasta. The cooking quality, antioxidant potential,
digestibility profile and sensory profile of the blended
pasta have been evaluated. Above all the substituted yam
based pasta, the cooking loss was within the permissible
level (8%). The β-carotene content of MPYF substituted
pasta was significantly higher compared to TPYF samples.
The incorporation of yam flour substantially improved
total phenolic content (2.9 and 1.7 fold for 60% substituted
MPYF and TPYF respectively as compared to control).
The same trend was observed with the antioxidant capacity
(ABTS - 3.80 and 1.41 fold; RSA - 2.21 and 1.72 fold;
FRAP - 14.48 and 11.22 fold respectively for 60% MPYF
and TPYF sample as compared to control). The in vitro
starch digestibility was reduced significantly among the
samples (62.35% in control pasta to 46.41% in 60%MPYF
and 50.01% in 60%TPYF samples). The starch profile indicated
a significant decrease of rapidly digestible starch
(62.63% in control to 43.55% in 60%MPYF and 43.04%
in 60%TPYF samples). Sensory evaluation revealed that
pasta with up to 30% yam flour was acceptable. Dioscorea schimperiana can be used to improve pasta nutritional
quality. For better functional potential, modified process
yam flour is suitable.