Functional Properties of Tannia Corms (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) Flour As Affected By Cooking, Soaking, and Peeling Processes

Abstract

The study aimed to characterize the functional properties of tannia (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) flour to realize the crop’s immense potential as an alternative ingredient. Experiments were conducted using a 23 factorial design with cooking, soaking, and peeling as the independent variables. The predicted best treatment was subjected to proximate analysis. Results revealed that tannia flour had high water absorption capacity (71.6-75.9%), oil absorption capacity (52.3-58.3%), foaming stability (94.0-97.0%), and swelling power (53.1-75.0%). The flour obtained had a low gelling point (46.7°C-58.7°C), boiling point (52.0-64.0°C), and least gelation concentration (4-5.33%). Further, peeling significantly affected the water absorption capacity, foaming capacity and stability, and swelling power of tannia flour, while cooking and soaking significantly affected tannia flour’s foaming capacity and gelling point. The interaction of factors (peeling, cooking, and soaking) was also found to significantly affect the functional properties of tannia flour, except for the least gelation concentration. The predicted best treatment was the combination of steaming, cold water soaking, and peeled tannia (Treatment 7), which contains lower moisture (4.31%), ash (0.52%), crude protein (4.41%), crude fat (1.01%), but higher contents of carbohydrates (89.74%), and crude fiber (10.5%.). Overall, tannia flour has good functional properties with the best treatment containing comparable amounts of nutrients with wheat flour except for ash, crude protein, and crude fat. This provides an advantage in enhancing its applicability in various food products and in the production of energy and fiber-rich food products.