The characteristics of noodles from fermented taro flour with the addition of cassava starch and xanthan gum

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of adding cassava starch and xanthan gum to fermented taro flour noodles and to find the best combination of cassava starch, and xanthan gum, based on the characteristics of dried taro noodles. Fermented taro flour is made from slices of fermented taro tubers by soaking in water (1:2) for 24 hrs to reduce oxalate content, dried, and ground into flour. Fermented taro flour was added with cassava starch (0 and 10%) and xanthan gum (0; 0.25; 0.50; 0.75%). The dough was mixed with water and steamed. The pregelatinized dough was extruded into noodles and the noodles were dried. The addition of cassava starch and xanthan gum concentration and their interactions had a very significant effect (p<0.01) on moisture content, ash content, cooking time, cooked weight, a* value (redness or greenness), b* value (yellowness or blueness) of dried taro noodles. The addition of cassava starch increased cooking loss while xanthan gum decreased cooking loss. The lightness (L*) of dried taro noodles was affected only by the addition of cassava starch. The interaction of cassava starch and xanthan gum can improve the texture of taro noodles. This study concluded that taro flour with the addition of cassava starch and xanthan gum has the potential to be a gluten-free noodle ingredient. The best combination found to produce gluten-free fermented taro flour noodles is fermented taro flour with the addition of 10% cassava starch and 0.75% xanthan gum.