Food Quality Evaluation of Manihot esculenta Crantz Gluten–Free Noodles

Abstract

Gluten-free noodles are frequently less acceptable in terms of cooking behavior and performance compared to gluten-containing noodles. In this study, the
cooking and color characteristics of Manihot esculenta Crantz flour–based gluten-free noodles fortified with xanthan gum (XG), guar gum (GG), whey protein,
and egg were investigated. The effects and interactions among the ingredients were estimated using a fractional factorial design on the cooking time (OCT),
cooking loss (CL), cooking yield (CY), and swelling index (SI). Whey protein had the most impact on OCT, CL, and CY. While XG had the most dominant to SI,
followed by whey protein. The interactions of the components in the formulation significantly prolong the OCT, increase CY, CL, and SI, especially for the wheyegg interaction. Egg contributed the most to the yellow color. Overall, the Manihot esculenta Crantz gluten-free noodles quality was acceptable in terms of the
cooking quality and color. These findings provide a predictive framework for quality Manihot esculenta Crantz gluten-free noodles to diversify gluten-free
products.