Influence of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) flour on the physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties of multigrain gluten-free chapati.

Abstract

This study investigated the incorporation of whole pumpkin flour from Punjab Samrat and B-10-224-3 cultivars into gluten-free chapatis (Indian flatbread) formulated with maize, soybean, and pearl millet. Proximate analysis identified Punjab Samrat as superior in protein (7.38%), fat (17.75%), and dietary fiber (16.33%), as well as bioactive compounds such as beta-carotene (32.50 mg/g) and lycopene (6.24 mg/100 g), supporting its selection for further analysis. The inclusion of 10% Punjab Samrat reduced pasting temperature (93.00 °C to 85.67 °C) and setback viscosity (556.67 cP to 371.67 cP), indicating enhanced starch stability and reduced retrogradation tendencies. The sensory evaluation demonstrated that a composite formulation containing 40% maize, 10% soybean, 50% pearl millet, and 10% Punjab Samrat achieved the highest acceptability in taste, texture, and color, outperforming control samples. Shelf-life studies revealed that laminate packaging effectively preserved water activity (a_w = 0.75) on day 3, compared to low-density polyethylene (LDPE; a_w = 0.73), demonstrating better moisture retention and helping to maintain the chapatti's soft and chewy texture. However, LDPE-packaged chapatis exhibited higher fat oxidation (free fatty acid (FFA) = 0.46%; peroxide value (PV) = 3.27 meq O₂/kg fat) and microbial proliferation (total plate count (TPC) = 732.67 × 10² CFU/g) than laminate packed chapatis (FFA= 0.26%, PV= 3.10 meq O₂/kg fat and TPC = 287.22 × 10² CFU/g) . These findings highlighted the potential of pumpkin flour-enriched gluten-free composite chapatis to provide enhanced nutritional and functional benefits.