title: Chemical composition, functional and sensory characteristics of wheat-taro composite flours and biscuits.
abstract: The physicochemical, alveographic and sensory characteristics of precooked taro-wheat composite flours and their biscuits were investigated. A 2x7 factorial design consisting of two varieties of taro flour (Red Ibo Ngaoundere, RIN, and egg-like varieties) and 7 levels of wheat substitutions (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 %) was used for this purpose. It was observed that water absorption capacity (range 95-152 g/100 g), water solubility index (range 18.8-29.5 g/100 g) and swelling capacity (range 125.4-204.6 mL/100 g) of composite flours significantly (p < 0.05) increased with increase in taro level. Conversely the dough elasticity index (range 59.8-0 %), extensibility (78-22 mm) and strength (range 281-139 × 10(-4) joules) significantly (p < 0.05) diminished with increase in wheat substitution. Up to 10 % substitution with RIN taro flour and 15 % with egg-like taro flour, the composite taro-wheat dough exhibited elasticity indices acceptable for the production of baking products, whereas at all levels of taro substitution, the composite biscuits samples were either acceptable as or better (5-10 % substitution with RIN flour) than 100 % wheat biscuit.
authors.affiliation: National School of Agro Industrial Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Makhlouf
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Himeda
authors.affiliation: National School of Agro Industrial Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon ; Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, PO Box 454, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Njintang Yanou
authors.affiliation: National School of Agro Industrial Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fombang
authors.affiliation: Faculte des Sciences Exactes et Appliquées, University of Ndjamena, Ndjamena, Chad.
authors.forename: Balaam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Facho
authors.affiliation: Société des Grands Moulins du Cameroun (SGMC), Douala, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kitissou
authors.affiliation: National School of Agro Industrial Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Carl M F
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mbofung
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'ingénierie et de Biomolecules, ENSAIA-INPL, Université de Lorraine, 2 avenue de la forêt de Haye, BP 172-F-54505, Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scher
keywords: Composite biscuits; Functional properties; Sensory; Taro; Wheat