Rheological and Textural Properties of Tamarind ( <i>Tamarindus indica</i> ) Confectionery Product with Added Chickpea Flour as Consistency Modifier

Despite high consumer demand, many confectionery products remain nutritionally poor due to excessive sugar. This work reports a systematic evaluation of chickpea flour as a consistency modifier in a tamarind–pineapple confection, aiming to enhance its nutritional and mechanical performance. Ten formulations containing increasing levels of chickpea flour (5–20 %) plus 0.1 % xanthan gum were developed. A proximate analysis confirmed chickpea flour’s contribution of 19.8 ± 0.4 % protein and 23.2 ± 0.2 % dietary fiber. Texture profile analysis revealed that significantly (p < 0.05) reduced hardness (from 75 to 48 N), cohesiveness (0.74 to 0.56) and gumminess (55.6 to 27.2 N), while adhesiveness decreased by ∼46 %. Oscillatory rheology showed marked increases in viscoelastic strength─indicating a semigel network optimal for spreadable confections. Altogether, our results demonstrate chickpea flour’s dual role in significantly enhancing nutritional value and tailoring textural and rheological properties. This provides a foundation for optimizing confection formulations through controlled ingredient levels or hydrocolloid synergy.