Rheological and nutritional studies of amaranth enriched wheat chapatti (Indian flat bread)

Chapatti made from whole wheat is a popular staple food in India. This article reports incorporation of amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) flour (20-50%) in wheat flour to get improved rolling properties and better nutrition in terms of proteins and micronutrients. Rheological studies of whole wheat flour (control) and amaranth-wheat combinations using farinograph revealed that amaranth flour (AF) addition up to 50% led to a decrease in percentage water absorption (84.80-77.55%) and dough stability (1.6-0.6 min). Stickiness of dough slightly increased (31.2-33.55 g), but there was overall improvement in softness, rollability, and spreadability of dough with increasing levels of AF. Based on texturometer measurement and sensory evaluation of chapattis, incorporation of 40% AF is recommended. Chapatti made from this blend had significantly higher content of ash (iron, calcium, and magnesium), fat, protein, and lysine; it also showed improved in vitro protein digestibility. Practical applicationsIn recent times, pseudo-cereals such as amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat, which were hitherto not consumed popularly, have attracted the attention of consumers all over the world due to their nutritional profile. Amaranth is a hardy crop which grows vigorously even in drought conditions. It is a rich source of protein, fat, fiber, and minerals. It has a balanced amino acid profile and is particularly rich in lysine. However, its consumption in India is limited to a few traditional products and it has remained largely underutilized. Staple foods like wheat chapatti can be supplemented with amaranth flour for nutritional improvement of the product. An understanding of the influence of AF on dough functionality and chapatti quality would be beneficial from the point of view of product development. This study investigated the effect of AF incorporation on rheological, nutritional, and quality characteristics of chapatti.