3.1.

Effect of hydrocolloids and a-amylase on fresh rice

chapati texture
Different trials were performed in order to set the
optimal time and temperature of baking the rice chapati.
The baking trials showed that a higher temperature (340
_C) and short time (140 s) resulted in a properly baked
chapati with a better texture (results not showed).Lower
temperatures for longer time resulted in excessive drying
of the chapati and a hard texture.
A method to objectively describe the textural changes
occurring in wheat and composite flour chapati has
been already described (Gujral & Pathak, 2002).The
same extensibility test can be used to study the texture
of rice flour chapati.The force needed to extend the
chapati strip increased during tensile deformation and
reached a peak before the strip ruptured.The control
chapati had an extensibility of 7.40 mm and also was
soft and extensible as indicated by the lower peak force
values required to deform, lower deformation modulus
and higher extensibility (Table 1).When different hydrocolloids
were incorporated into the rice flour dough
at levels of 0.25% and 0.5%, they increased the extensibility
and that effect was more pronounced with
increasing hydrocolloid concentration.Xant han at
0.5% brought about the highest increase in the extensibility
followed by LBG, HPMC and GG.An increase
in the extensibility of wheat flour dough chapati by
carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) has been reported earlier
(Gujral & Pathak, 2002).Fresh chapati containing
hydrocolloids had higher peak force to rupture (N)
than the control, being significant with the addition of
HPMC at the lowest concentration tested and xanthan
and guar gum at the highest concentration (0.5%). In
the case of energy to rupture (J), hydrocolloids significantly
(P < 0:05) increased this parameter, with the
exception of GG and LBG at the lowest concentration.
Hydrocolloid addition lowered the deformation modulus
of the chapati.
a-Amylase is usually added in bakery for improving
specific volume and retard the bread staling.In this
study the effect of amylase on texture of rice chapati was
tested.The level of a-amylase added was taken from a
recent work carried out by the authors on the antistaling
effect of this enzyme in rice bread (Gujral, Haros, &
Rosell, 2003).In case of chapati the a-amylase must
have acted on the starch during the short period of
mixing and resting (5 and 30 min respectively at 25 _C)
and during the 140 s baking stage.As a consequence of
the action of the enzyme, a non-significant increased of
the extensibility was observed in the fresh chapati.The
combination of the enzyme along with the hydrocolloid
also resulted in chapati with better texture.
3.2. Influence of hydrocolloids and a-amylase on rice
chapati texture after storage
Chapaties are generally consumed fresh (within an
hour) but an industrially produced product would need
a longer time to reach the consumer.Chapat ies should
have a pleasing color and should retain their soft and
pliable structure during storage.The textural changes
that occur in chapati during storage (loss of extensibility
and increased deformation modulus) need to be minimized.
The extensibility of the rice chapati decreased to 2.50
mm after 24 h of storage (Table 2).Decre ase in the
extensibility of wheat flour chapati has been reported
earlier (Gujral & Gaur, 2002; Gujral & Pathak, 2002)
and was attributed to the staling of chapati.After 24 h
of storage the chapati became hard and brittle as indicated
by the higher peak force values, higher deformation
modulus and lower extensibility.The energy
required to break the chapati decreased during storage,
this was because the peak force of staled chapati increases
and its extensibility decreases.The area under
the force displacement curve decreased lowering the
energy required to rupture the chapati strip that indicates
an increase in the brittleness of the chapati.
The chapaties containing the hydrocolloids remained
more extensible after 24 h storage.The hydrocolloid
concentration (0.25% and 0.5%) more significantly affected
the extensibility in fresh chapati as compared to
the extensibility of 24 h stored chapati.Chapati stored
for 24 h and containing HPMC and guar gum at the
lowest concentration tested (0.25%) had significant
(P < 0:05) higher peak force to rupture.Xanth an gum
was the unique hydrocolloid that significantly decreased
the deformation modulus.The extensibility tests showed
that the chapati containing hydrocolloids were more
extensible (pliable and less brittle) and remained more
extensible during storage.The ability of hydrocolloids to
prevent firming and retrogradation of starch in bread is
well known (Martinez, Andreu, & Collar, 1999; Rojas,
Rosell, & Benedito de Barber, 1999), and it is due to
their ability to bind water and physically hinder the
amylopectin retrogradation.The moisture absorption in
the chapati dough with and without the hydrocolloids
was kept constant.It was observed that the chapaties
containing HPMC, guar gum and locus bean gum at
0.5% showed significant lower bake loss (Table 3) after
baking and as a result had higher moisture.An inverse
relationship of water and rate of firming has been reported
(Rogers, Zeleznak, Lai, & Hoseney, 1988) and
this could have lead to the better texture of chapaties
containing hydrocolloid.
The purpose of addition of a-amylase to the rice flour
dough was to bring about some depolymerization of the
rice starch so as to delay the retrogradation and staling
process.The action of the enzyme was also evident on
the extensibility of stored chapati that was more extensible
than the control.The combination of the enzyme along with the hydrocolloid also
resulted in chapati with
better texture, which remained more extensible after 24
h storage.
4. Conclusion
Hydrocolloids can be used for improving the texture
of rice flour chapati.They contribute to keep the chapati
extensibility during storage.Hydroco lloid addition retards
the recrystallization of starch.Xanthan , GG and/
or a-amylase are especially effective in retarding starch
recrystallization in rice chapati.