RVA gel texture as predictive indicator for starch-based noodle quality – a study based on gluten-free noodles from tarwi-cassava blends

Iglesias-Molina I.; Linares-García L.; Schönlechner R. · LWT (2026) · DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2026.119858

Resumen

The rising demand for gluten-free pasta is constrained by high costs of ingredients and additives, alongside the poor nutritional profile of most commercial products. This study evaluated correlations between Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) pasting properties and gel texture profile analysis (TPA) with quality attributes of gluten-free noodles from cassava–tarwi flour blends, aiming to identify predictive indicators for rapid formulation screening. A randomized experimental design tested five cassava-tarwi ratios (75:25 to 25:75). Flours underwent proximal characteriz ation, pasting properties, and TPA analyses; extruded noodles were evaluated for dry-state mechanical properties (fracture strain and deformability modulus), cooking characteristics, and cooked noodles texture. RVA peak, trough, breakdown, final, and setback viscosities decreased significantly with higher tarwi flour, while pasting temperature, and peak time increased. Gel hardness, springiness, and chewiness correlated positively with cassava flour content. Dry noodle fracture strain and deformability modulus exhibited positive correlations with breakdown and setback viscosities, and gel hardness. However, no significant correlations were found with cooking properties, attributed to the dominant structuring role of egg white and tarwi protein. This research offers insights into starch-driven indicators for efficient noodle screening, underscoring the importance of dry noodle mechanical properties as a reliable discriminator in gluten-free noodles.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina