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Composite flours are extensively used in the bakery industry to develop designer food products, having specific nutritional or functional properties. Though rich in carbohydrate, cassava flour has not been properly exploited for making bakery products, mainly because of its low protein content contributing to poor dough characteristics. Induced malting using amylolytic enzymes and pregelatinization through hydrothermal cooking were tried to modify the textural and functional attributes of cassava flour, which was then blended with various cereal and legume additives as well as rice bran and used for making two baked products such as muffins and biscuits. Whey protein concentrate (WPC) was added to fortify protein in all the formulations. Pseudo-malted cassava flour-based muffins and biscuits had lower starch content (36-44% and 36.5-41.2%, respectively) than similar products from unmalted cassava flour (39-46% and 43.75%, respectively). The crude protein content of the muffins and biscuits from WPC fortified composite mixes ranged from 7.96% to 14.36% and 9.63% to 11.00%, respectively, which was significantly higher than the native cassava flour (1.30%). Besides, the total dietary fiber could be enhanced to the extent of 1.54-3.10% in muffins and 1.70-2.61% in biscuits, through fortification with cereal and/or legume flours or bran sources, which is also considerable when compared to only 0.435% in native cassava flour. In vitro starch digestibility was the lowest for cassava (unmalted)-/rice bran-based muffins (25.02 units) and cassava (unmalted)-/finger millet flour-based biscuits (36.08 units), indicating the potential of these combinations for making therapeutic baked products for obese and diabetic people. Spread ratio and spread factor were the least (9.27 and 60.99, respectively) for the biscuits made with unmalted cassava/finger millet mixes, while use of Termamyl pseudo-malted cassava/finger millet raised the spread ratio to 11.11 and spread factor to 73.09.

Low protein and poor functionality limit the use of cassava flour in snack foods, which were modified using blends with cereal and/or legume flours. Native, malted (using alphaamylase) as well as malted and pre-gelatinized was blended with cereal (finger millet and whole wheat flours) and/or legume (chick pea flour). Extrudates were prepared at a screw speed of 100 rpm and die temperature of 180 • C. Malted flour based extrudates had lower starch content than native flour. Gram malted cassava based blends gave products with the highest protein. In vitro starch digestibility was the highest for pre-gelatinized flour based mixes. Extrudates with low fat and energy have scope as low calorie snacks for obese and diabetic people.

The demand for designer food products having specific nutritional/functional attributes is on the increase worldwide. Composite flours prepared from malted and pregelatinized cassava through appropriate blending with cereal and/or legume and bran sources were used for making muffins and biscuits with high fiber content. Muffins made from Termamyl‐malted and pregelatinized cassava flour had lower starch content (38.84–41.82%) than those from germinated gram amylase malted flour. The products had protein contents of 4.50–5.60% (<1.0% in cassava flour). High dietary fiber content of 2.77–3.44% and 3.20–3.40%, respectively, was obtained in muffins and biscuits made from cassava–bran blends. The spread ratio of the test biscuits was fewer by five to eight units than the control biscuits made from refined wheat flour. The low in vitro starch digestibility of muffins/biscuits from cassava–bran blends (24–29 units and 31–34 units, respectively) was a specific advantage, suggesting their therapeutic use for obese and diabetic people. Muffins made from Termamyl‐malted mixes had lower hardness and toughness than those from gram amylase malted flour. The high dietary fiber content of the two baked goods indicates their use for cardiovascular patients and also for conditions such as constipation and its related problems. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The study focuses on the use of cassava flour for making two baked goods viz., muffins and biscuits. The nutritional and functional properties of cassava flour were modified through malting and pregelatinization and further by blending with cereal and/or legume flours and bran sources. The composite flours that have high protein content and dietary fiber (DF) content were further enriched through the addition of wheat bran at levels of 10.0 g per formula. The products developed had high DF content of 2.77–3.44% and protein content of 4.50–5.60% (dwb). The low in vitro starch digestibility of muffins and biscuits from cassava–bran blends was an additional advantage, suggesting their use in medical nutrition therapy for treating obese and diabetic people as well as for management of cardiovascular and intestinal problems.