Evaluating the Impact of Inulin Addition before Solar Drying on the Characteristics of Sour Cassava Starch as a Food Ingredient

Abstract

Sour cassava starch is obtained by spontaneous fermentation of the starch cake immediately after being extracted, followed by sun‐drying, where oxidation reactions take place that are essential for the enhanced baking expansion of this starch. The aim of this work is to evaluate the influence of adding a different polysaccharide to the starch cake before sun‐drying in the characteristics of the obtained product. Inulin is chosen for being a soluble prebiotic fiber that may improve the nutritional quality of the starch. Inulin modifies the oxidation of the fermented starch during sun‐drying, and forms a film around the granules that hinder their swelling and water retention capacity. The crystallinity of the inulin is increased by hydration and sun‐drying. Adding inulin to the fermented starch before sun‐drying reduces its expansion capacity, but in a lower rate than when inulin is added after sun‐drying. The fermented starch sun‐dried with inulin produces a baked snack with similar texture to that of the sour starch alone, and softer than that from the native starch.