Herein, feasibility of supplementing wheat flour with Chinese yam powder (CYP) for noodle preparation was assessed. After supplementation with CYP, the alterations in chemical, texture, cooking, rheological, and microstructure attributes of noodles were observed. Due to higher protein and lower gluten, 20% of CYP promoted the stable network of gluten and starch particles. However, the excessive addition reduced the flexibility and the chewiness. The adverse changes were observed at 40% substitution level in texture profile analysis (TPA) and rheological parameters due to disrupted gluten-protein network which accelerated the exposure of starch particles. The CYP incorporation up to 20% showed better mouthfeel but further addition lowered the total sensory scores. Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed the modifications in noodles microstructure as CYP addition affected starch granule structure. In general, 30% substitution significantly improved the textural and rheological properties of noodles, indicating the potential of Chinese yam powder for industrial application.
Keywords: Chinese yam; microstructure; protein–gluten network; texture and rheological properties; wheat flour noodles.