Relationship between thermomechanical properties and baking expansion of sour cassava starch (Polvilho azedo)

The factors involved in the baking expansion of native and sour cassava sta rch doughs were compared with those of native corn starch. Unlike corn star ch dough, native and sour cassava starch doughs showed expansion properties during baking. The storage modulus E' decreased for cassava starch doughs before baking expansion, but remained unchanged for corn starch dough. Expa nsion during the baking of sour cassava starch was attributed to water vapo risation and the fluidity of starch paste. The fact that temperature and we ight loss variations at adequate water contents were significantly greater for cassava than corn starch dough is indicative of the important role play ed by starch melting in expansion. Expansion ability could be correlated wi th changes in dough-crumb thermomechanical properties when close to the sta rch melting temperature. (C) 2001 Society of Chemical Industry.