Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and maize (Zea mays L.) flour mixtures for the development of healthy snacks

In recent years, there has been an excess in the consumption of products with high fat content and low nutritional value, such as fried snacks, which have been related to several chronic degenerative diseases; therefore, it is necessary to look for alternatives to improve the nutritional value of snacks to make them healthy and appetizing. Baked chips with cassava flour and different substitution levels of maize flour were made to evaluate the effect of this substitution on the quality of the snacks produced. Three treatments based on the substitution of cassava flour with maize flour at levels of 0, 20, and 40%, each with three replicates, were done. The response variables were the chemical composition: moisture, ash, fat, protein and fiber, niacin content, energy intake, breaking strength, and level of palatability based on sensory evaluation. Higher protein (∼8.3%) and niacin content (∼0.8 mg/100 g) after baking were obtained as the level of maize flour substitution increased. The lower caloric density (∼380 kcal/100g) was achieved by a reduction in the fat content attributed to the baking process compared to fried products. Crunchiness of the snacks, expressed as breaking strength (∼3.7 kgf), increased as the level of flour substitution increased, and the sensory evaluation indicated that the snacks formulated with a substitution level of 40% maize flour were liked the best. The possibility of using mixtures of cassava (Manihot esculenta) and maize (Zea mays) flours can be a viable and innovative alternative for the production of healthy snacks in the culinary industry.