Performance of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) flour in the manufacture of gluten-free spaghetti

The objective of this work was to assess the performance of mixtures of corn and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) flours in the development of a spaghetti-type product. Cooking quality (loss of solids, volume increase, weight increase), texture (adhesiveness, elasticity), peak and final viscosities and moisture content of the pre-gelatiniised hour mixtures were the physical parameters studied. The mean values for loss of solids, weight increase, volume increase, adhesiveness and moisture were 162 g kg(-1), 2.3 times, 2.6 times, 2090.7 g and 384 g kg(-1) respectively. Peak viscosity and elasticity provided information relevant, yet not definitive, to both formulation and processing of the product. However, the model developed was predictive for final viscosity. The combination of independent variables that resulted in higher elasticity values, desirable for spaghetti, were short thermal treatment and low-to-medium quinoa additions. All peak viscosities were low with respect to the untreated hour. For final viscosity, however, the best combinations were short heat treatments across the entire range of quinoa contents. Sensory acceptability testing of the spaghetti by a consumer panel was also included. (C) 2000 Society of Chemical Industry.