Comparison of quality characteristics of reconstituted glutinous rice flour and sweet dumplings with various beans

This study blended five types of beans—florid kidney bean, red adzuki bean, chickpea, black bean, and white kidney bean—with glutinous rice flour (GRF) to create a synergistic heat–moisture treatment (HMT). We investigated the effects of this combination on the digestibility of the glutinous rice mixture and the quality of sweet dumplings. The inclusion of beans, along with HMT, altered the granular morphology, adhesive qualities, thermal characteristics, crystallinity, and protein secondary structure of the blended powders compared to GRF. Notably, the starch granules in the glutinous rice flour with red adzuki bean (R-GRF) were more complete in morphology, compact in structure, and exhibited higher heat stabilization and crystallinity, with significant changes in protein secondary structure. These modifications resulted in a low expected glycemic index (eGI) value of 52.01. Additionally, the quality assessment of the fast-frozen sweet dumplings showed that those made with red adzuki bean mixed with glutinous rice flour (R-SD) had superior texture, reduced cracking, and less water loss compared to those made with GRF (G-SD), while maintaining similar color and odor to G-SD. The eGI value of 52.21 for R-SD also fell within the low eGI range, indicating its potential for developing low-eGI foods for patients with T2DM and other special populations.