Vanessa Abad-Quevedo

Sour cassava starch is traditionally produced through spontaneous fermentation and solar drying, processes that induce molecular changes responsible for its high baking expansion but are difficult to standardize. Therefore, this study evaluated a sustainable enzymatic strategy to mimic the functional properties of traditional sour cassava starch through the synergistic action of α-amylase (6 U g⁻¹) and calcium lactate (CL) (0, 3, 6, and 9 mg/g starch). Structural, rheological, functional, and nutritional properties were evaluated. The results showed that α-amylase (6 U g⁻¹) was consistent with preferential modification of the less ordered regions, resulting in a redistribution of short-range molecular organization. The treatment containing 6 U g⁻¹ α-amylase and 6 mg/g CL showed lower apparent amylose content, lower retrogradation tendency, higher gelatinization torque, and greater bread specific volume, while maintaining an estimated glycaemic index of 50.9. These findings demonstrate that this enzymatic modification represents a standardized alternative for producing high-quality gluten-free breads.

Few strategies have been developed to mimic and control the supramolecular degradations induced by spontaneous fermentation in sour cassava starch, which are partly responsible for its characteristic expansion capacity in breadmaking, and their effectiveness has remained limited. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding α-amylase on the functional and nutritional properties of cassava starch used in breadmaking. Cassava starch from the INIAP 651 variety was modified with different α-amylase dosages (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9 U/g α-amylase for 20 min), followed by hydration and pre-gelatinization before baking. Determinations of the specific volume of the bread (SV), dough characterization by Mixolab, pasting properties using a rheometer, and nutritional properties were performed. The treatment with 6 U/g α-amylase showed the best functional properties, achieving the highest SV (4.28 mL/g), C3 (1.67 Nm), C4 (1.11 Nm), and peak viscosity (6550 mPa·s), as well as the lowest setback (1526 mPa·s). In contrast, the treatment with 9 U/g α-amylase exhibited the most favorable nutritional profile, with the lowest estimated glycemic index (51.25) and rapidly digestible starch (15.85 g/100 g). These results confirm that controlled α-amylase dosing modulates cassava starch functionality for breadmaking and glycemic control.

Currently, there is an increase in diabetes cases and people sensitive to gluten. However, there are few foods in commerce with good quality and that serve to appease, in synergy, these diseases. The aim of this work was to evaluate a low-glucose gluten-free bread made from hydrolyzed cassava starch and lupine flour. The starch of the cassava variety INIAP 651 (CM1335–4 genotype), cultivated in Ecuador, as well as the debittered flour of lupine (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet) from Ecuador were used. A cassava starch/water dilution was gelatinized, lyophilized, ground, and sieved. Then, it was hydrolyzed with pancreatic α-amylase prepared at 100 U/g, for 0, 1, 2, and 3 h. In addition, breads were made from gels without the addition of yeast. The gels showed significant differences for the hydrolysis times 0 and 1 h, in hydrolysis level, consistency, cohesiveness, firmness and viscosity level. No significant differences were found in those parameters for 1, 2 and 3 h. In the bread, significant differences were found for 0 and 1 h in specific volume, firmness, springiness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and resilience. There were no significant differences between 0 to 3 h of hydrolysis for those parameters. Up to 10% partial substitution of hydrolyzed cassava starch by lupine flour, there were no significant differences in rheological properties.