Quinoa as a wheat substitute to improve the textural properties and minimize the carcinogenic acrylamide content of the biscuit
Bahareh Sazesh, Mohammad Goli
Abstract
Gluten-free quinoa flour (QF) with high protein, low asparagine level, and reducing-sugars as acrylamide producing agents, is a substitute for wheat flour (WF). This study aims to optimize the biscuit formulation by soft, white WF substitution with QF at five levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%), sodium-bicarbonate at three levels (0.05%, 0.10%, and 0.15% based on the final dough weight), and baking-temperature at three levels (160°C, 185°C, and 210°C) using RSM, D-optimal design to obtain desirable hardness and density, minimize acrylamide content, and maintain browning-index in the final product in comparison to the control. Two optimized formulas were selected, including Opt1 (WF28%, QF72%, sodium-bicarbonate 0.05%, and baking temperature 160°C) and Opt2 (WF0%, QF100%, sodium-bicarbonate 0.05%, and baking temperature 160°C), which caused significantly decreasing hardness, slightly increasing density, severely decreasing acrylamide content, and almost maintaining the browning index of the biscuit samples compared to the control sample. Practical applications Wheat flour substitution with quinoa flour significantly decreased biscuit hardness, slightly increased biscuit density, severely decreased biscuit acrylamide, and almost maintained biscuit browning index in comparison to the control sample. The wheat flour containing gluten could be replaced with up to 100% quinoa flour accompanied by taste and texture improvers for produce nutritional (improving lysine and essential fatty acid) and therapeutic (due to being gluten-free) bakery products, especially for celiac patients.