The Modelling and optimization of physicochemical properties of wheat flour and chemically modified African yam bean – cassava starch blends

Abstract

African yam bean and cassava starches had undergone chemical modification (sodium acetylation) and blended with wheat flour to create a composite flour-starch combination. D-optimal mixture design yielded three mixture components. Using cubic models to create regression equations from the experimental values, the physicochemical characteristics of the flour-starch mixture were ascertained. 3D response surface plots were used to create and visually portray the dependent responses' linear, binary, and ternary impacts as well as their interactions. In order to verify sufficient model signals, generated models were evaluated for adequacy and verified using criteria at p<0.05, non-significant (p>0.05) lack-of-fit (LoF), >0.7 adjusted R2, and >4 appropriate precision. The optimal value was represented by the desirability value of 0.72 in the numerical optimization results generating the optimum blends of wheat flour (84.38 g), African yam bean (10.62 g) and cassava (5.00 g) starches selected. By conducting confirmatory runs and determining the mix's 95% confidence levels, the D-optimal mixture design generated three experimental components were sufficient for modelling and optimizing the dependent responses tested, including but not limited to the ranges for pH (5.66 – 7.44), least gelation concentration (5.98 – 8.84 % m/v), gelation temperature (63.50 – 72 0C), moisture (3.95 – 4.84 %), bulk density (0.43 – 0.52 g/cm 3), water absorption capacity (60.56 – 74.42 mL/g), oil absorption capacity (62.11 – 74.23 mL/g), swelling power (1.15 – 8.10 %), specific volume (2.00 – 5.75 %), solubility (28.51 – 62.50 %), and viscosity (15.55 – 26.25 Cp).