Incorporation of defatted quinoa flour affects in vitro starch digestion, cooking and rheological properties of wheat noodles

Quinoa is a lipid-rich pseudocereal, and lipid oxidation limits the shelf life of quinoa flour. It has been shown that defatting improves the storage properties of quinoa. However, there is a lack of research to support the application of defatted quinoa flour. The rheological properties of dough and in vitro starch digestibility, cooking quality, and texture properties of noodles containing 0%-30% (w/w) defatted quinoa flour (DQF) were investigated. The results showed that the storage modulus (G') of dough substituted with 10% DQF was higher than wheat dough, and the deformation decreased as the DQF content increased. Noodles with DQF (10-20%) had a lower cooking loss and water absorption than noodles with 10% full quinoa flour (FQF), while the noodles with 30% DQF exceeded the satisfactory point of industry standards for cooking loss. On the other hand, the noodles with DQF presented a higher hardness and chewiness than wheat noodles. In vitro digestion results showed two simultaneous digestion fractions for all noodle samples. The noodles' maximum digestion amount and slow digestion fraction content decreased by 5.77% and increased by 9.64%, respectively, with 10% DQF. Considering digestive and cooking characteristics of noodles, we recommend incorporating 10% DQF into noodle formulations. This study will provide scientific support to the industrial product application of quinoa noodles.

Automated summary

This study found that using defatted quinoa flour in dough improves its storage properties and also enhances the cooking quality and texture of noodles. It is recommended to incorporate 10% defatted quinoa flour in noodle formulations.