Thermal, Pasting, and Hydration Properties of Flour from Novel Cassava Cultivars for Potential Applications in the Food Industry

Cassava root flours from five different cultivars (C-MSAF2, C-P4/10, C-P98/0505, C-P98/0002, and C-UKF8) were studied for their potential application in the food industry. Proximate composition, functional, thermal, and pasting properties were investigated. Cassava flours were high in carbohydrates (85-86%) and their amino acid profiles varied. Cultivars C-MSAF2, C-P98/0002, and C-UKF8 showed high protein content (5.06%), mineral content (2.36%), and the largest particle size (72.33 µm), respectively. Solubility of cassava flours decreased as temperatures increased, however, swelling power and water absorption capacity increased. C-MSAF2 showed the highest peak viscosity, breakdown viscosity, and shortest peak time. C-P98/0505 showed the highest final viscosity, the highest pasting temperature, and the longest peak time. Cassava flours studied are promising candidates for utilization in the baking industry, however, their incorporation into baked product formulations needs further investigation

Immobilization of carbonic anhydrase enriched microorganism on biopolymer based materials

The whole cell of Bacillus pumilus was immobilized on different chitosan based materials while attempts were also made to immobilize carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme. The screening of materials for esterase activity resulted in the selection of biopolymer based beads as the potential material for whole cell and CA immobilization. The materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while physical characteristics like BET surface area, particle size etc. were also determined. Esterase activity and other parameters, like effect of swelling, were determined on immobilized cells. After cell immobilization, the esterase activities of chitosan-NH4OH beads, multilayered beads, and sodium alginate were found to be 42, 36, and 30.5 U/ml, respectively, as compared to 27.15 U/ml for the free organism