Elaboration of gluten free cupcakes from xanthosoma flours, taro, rice, cassava and their mixtures

The effect of taro flour, xanthosoma, cassava and rice, their possible mixtures and two different percentages of egg protein in cupcakes with total substitution of wheat flour are studied. Flours of xanthosoma and taro were elaborated and have utilized flours of cassava and rice existing in market. The moisture was evaluated and found that taro flour presents a lower water content compared to rice flour, xanthosoma and cassava in all flours. 22 formulations of cupcakes were elaborated using the flours (100% substitutions), flour mixture (substitution 50:50 of each flour) and wheat as control, also the egg content (standard content to egg and lower content to egg), to analyze their sensory characteristics and consumer preferences. The study data was carried out with two independents groups of people, a trained panel that has conducted the descriptive analysis and a consumer group that has made the study of acceptance. An analysis of variance was applied to data, test Fisher LSD and external preference mapping, an analysis of ''cluster '' for proof of acceptance, with witch were identified the three consumer groups, composed by 19, 51, 35 people. All three groups have preferred the control samples with wheat in groups 2 and 3 cupcakes with rice-cassava with content standard and less content of egg, and cassava with less egg, have showed without significant differences in preference (p<0,0001). The group 1 has preferred to wheat samples, taro-cassava with the two egg protein contents, xanthosoma-rice, rice-cassava and xanthosoma with less egg content. An external preferred mapping was made in order to understand which characteristics of each type of cupcake have liked to consumers. The cupcakes with greater acceptance by the segments was observed that were cassava and mixtures with cassava, which have been more spongy, yellow or beige in the crumb and sweet flavor. The taro cupcakes with substitution 100%, blends and samples 100% rice have had less acceptance because they were more sticky, gritty, more flavor to tubercle, more white spots, more caked and major gummy aroma or floury. The determination of moisture has showed significant differences (p <0,05) between samples with standard egg content and lower egg content, where securities are held in a range of 29,28% to 21,24%. Besides, the replacement of flour, also using different egg protein content, have had a significant effect (p <0,05) on texture profile parameters: elasticity, cohesiveness, chewiness, adhesiveness with the exception of hardness. In general terms, the cupcakes made with mixtures, especially cassava-rice have had greater functionality to replace wheat flour in cupcakes, plus a lower content of egg in samples prepared with alternative flours, because consumers have showed greater acceptance by them in comparison with the standard content of the cupcakes. (author)