Physicochemical, pasting, and functional properties of tuber-based composite flours and their application in gluten-free muffins

This study evaluated composite flours made from modified cassava, suweg, and arrowroot as gluten-free muffins. Three blends, CF1 (60:30:10), CF2 (60:25:15), and CF3 (60:20:20), were used to produce muffin (M1, M2, M3), compared with wheat-based control (C). The composite flours exhibited higher water absorption capacity (up to 1.90 g/g), swelling volume (up to 23.68 mL/g), and crude fiber content (up to 1.62%) compared to wheat flour. Suweg flour increased peak viscosity, setback, water absorption capacity, while arrowroot flour enhanced protein content, solubility, and lightness (L) of composite flour. M2 muffins displayed the most desirable quality, with flavor and aroma scores not significantly different from control and an overall acceptance score of 5.0. Pearson correlation analysis showed that higher protein content improved chewiness, higher crude fiber enhanced springiness, cohesiveness, and resilience, while greater swelling volume reduced elasticity. These findings demonstrate that tuber-based flours can successfully replace wheat flour in gluten-free muffins.