Development of pasta using composite flour of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), soy (Glycine max) & rice (Oryza sativa) flours

Pasta made from wheat flour is a convenience food globally. This study investigates the use of composite flour to reduce wheat flour consumption in Sri Lanka and develops a blend of locally available ingredients, viz., sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) accession ‘Carrot Bathala’, soy (Glycine max), and rice (Oryza sativa), using a Taguchi orthogonal experimental design. Four samples (T₂, T₃, T₄, and T₈) were selected for final evaluation through preliminary sensory evaluation. The ratios of the three ingredients for samples T₂, T₃, T₄, and T₈ were 50:30:20, 41.6:33.3:25, 60:20:20 and 63.6:27.2:9, respectively. A pasta made from 100% wheat flour served as a control. The sensory evaluation was performed by 30 untrained panellists utilizing a 9-point hedonic scale and the results were analysed using a one-way Friedman test with a confidence interval of 95%. All treatments scored significantly higher in sensory properties than the control, with T₂ achieving the highest scores for appearance, taste, hardness, and overall acceptability. From nutritional perspective, T₂ contained significantly more fat (2.19%), fibre (2.54%), energy (510.3 kcal/100 g), ash (3.35%), and protein (14.57%) compared to the control. However, moisture (10.90%), carbohydrate (74.31%), and acid-insoluble ash (0.05%) were significantly higher in the control. T2 had the lowest cooking time and water absorption (91.35%) but higher cooking loss (11.25%). The highest values of hardness, chewiness, and gumminess can be observed in pasta made from composite flour. The composite flour pasta met SLS420:2019 standards, suggesting its potential as a gluten free alternative that could be commercialized in Sri Lanka.