Effect of Precooking on the Quality of Instant Flakes from Florido Yam (Dioscorea alata L.)

Abstract

Pasting characteristics of instant Florido (D. alata L.) yam flake slurries were studied using the Brabender Amylograph-Viscograph. Instant flakes were prepared from yam tubers precooked at different time intervals. Pasting temperature of the flake slurries tended to increase with an increase in precooking time while the Brabender viscosity measurements tended to decrease. No peak viscosity was observed, denoting the strength of yam starch. Samples showed great stability while cooking at 92° and 50° C for 1 hour. The blue value index (BVI) and shear press measurements decreased with the increase in precooking time. Therefore, precooking of raw yam proved to be helpful in reducing the free soluble starch in the instant yam flakes, thus reducing the stickiness of the end product.