Improvement in nutritional quality of traditional unleavened flat bread using Quality Protein Maize

Abstract

Maize grains are consumed majorly in the form of unleavened flat bread (chapatti) in the South East Asian region. The landraces are better accepted for their chapatti-making attributes such as grain color and good organoleptic properties. However, these cultivars are low in essential amino acids, particularly lysine and tryptophan content. Hence, an investigation was performed to identify maize genotypes with high nutritional value coupled with good chapatti-making qualities. Seven genotypes, comprising two Quality Protein Maize (QPM) hybrids, two normal maize hybrids, and three normal white maize landraces were assessed for their physical characteristics, proximate composition, and chapatti-making quality. Landrace 593 showed the highest protein and ash content. Flours obtained from different genotypes were significantly different (p ≤ 0.001) in terms of protein content, color value, textural, as well as mineral content. PMH 10 and IQMH 203 exhibited the highest and lowest hydration index, respectively. Two QPM hybrids showed significantly higher lysine and tryptophan content as compared to other genotypes. QPM hybrids were identified as the promising material with improved nutritional quality with respect to chapatti making. In combination with mustard greens, maize chapatti constitutes an important traditional delicacy in north India. The enhanced nutritional quality of QPM chapattis is an added advantage. We show the differentiation of chapattis made from QPM and normal maize using a rapid protocol developed previously. This is expected to enable the development and quality control of commercial enterprises based on high protein quality QPM.

Development of high-yielding white maize hybrids with better chapatti-making quality compared to traditionally used local landraces

“…WHM 2 (293.57 gm) showed significantly higher TKW than the local landraces. The maize hybrids with TKW of more than 290 gm are useful for industrial purposes as they are known to provide higher yields in the manufacturing of several products ( 6 ). TKW is positively correlated with kernel weight increment in achieving maximum grain filling rates ( 17 ).…”

“…The TKW was recorded by weighing a hundred grains on a micro-weighing electronic analytical balance of sartorius© and multiplied by 10. The weight of 1,000 kernels was recorded in grams (gms) as per Kaur et al ( 6 ).…”

“…Chapatti making process involved the flour being kneaded with varying proportions of warm water till smooth, cohesive, non-sticky dough was obtained and percent water absorption was noted for each hybrid to prepare dough effectively. Dough after a while was rolled into chapattis and baked ( 6 ).…”

“…After removing the canister from the instrument, the samples were disposed. The pasting properties including peak viscosity, trough viscosity, breakdown viscosity, final viscosity, setback viscosity, peak time, and pasting temperature were recorded ( 6 ).…”

“…Maize is a staple food in different parts of the country, particularly in South East-Asia, where it is consumed in the form of unleavened flatbread known as chapatti . These chapatti s are consumed as a staple diet in several parts of India ( 6 ). Thus, it is important to study the chapatti -making qualities of maize flour prior to its release for commercial cultivation.…”