Pasting Characteristics of Wheat and Sweet Potato Flour Blends

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the pasting characteristics of wheat and sweet potato tuber (Ipomea batatas) flour blends. The sweet potato tubers were bought from a local farm in Offa, Kwara State. The tubers were thoroughly sorted, washed, peeled, sliced, balanced, drained, sundried and milled into flour. Commercial wheat flour was used and purchased from Igbona market in Osogbo, Osun State of Nigeria. The wheat and sweet potato flour were blended using the following ratios (WF : SPF : 100 : 0, 90 : 10, 85 : 15, 80 : 20, 75 : 25, 0 : 100). These samples were thereafter subjected to pasting characteristics analysis. The results revealed that as more and more sweet potato flour was added to wheat flour there was improvement in the pasting properties.