{
  "abstract": "Steam precooking of starch-rich raw materials yields pregelatinized biopolymer matrices; however, how the structural state of starch in multicomponent precooked flours relates to their hydration, pasting, flow, and dough and batter viscoelastic behavior remains poorly documented. This study developed and characterized a steam-precooked composite flour (PCF) from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca cv. Hartón), and orange-fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas cv. Agrosavia Aurora), formulated using linear programming to meet the nutritional targets set by the “Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar” (ICBF). The PCF contained 24.08 ± 0.13% crude protein, 375.1 kcal/100 g, and 89.23 ± 0.18% in vitro protein digestibility, exceeding the ICBF minimum requirements. Differential scanning calorimetry showed no defined gelatinization endotherm, only a weak, broad endothermic region (52–92 °C; ΔH = 2.35 ± 0.56 J/g dry flour) attributed mainly to retrograded amylopectin and a minor residual starch fraction; the pasting profile lacked a viscosity peak, with breakdown indistinguishable from zero. Flour suspensions exhibited pseudoplastic behavior (shear-thinning), with a flow behavior index of 0.542 and a consistency coefficient of 0.311 Pa·sⁿ, and a flat pasting profile with negligible breakdown (0.02 cP), consistent with a collapsed structure. Cookie dough and muffin batter behaved as weak elastic gels (G′ > G″), with cookie dough approximately two orders of magnitude stiffer than muffin batter, though both showed a similar critical strain (8–13%) at the solid-to-flow transition. Baked cookies and muffins achieved high sensory acceptance and purchase intention (84% for cookies, 80% for muffins). These results suggest that PCF is a promising local alternative, with adequate nutritional, technological, and sensorial performance, to fortified blended foods based on imported ingredients for bakery products.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Agro-Industrial Engineering Program, Pontificia Bolivariana University, Montería 230002, Colombia",
    "Department of Food Engineering, University of Córdoba, Montería 230002, Colombia"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Carmen Elena Pérez-Cervera",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3333-6881"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Daniela Colorado-Triana"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Camila Andrea Suarez-Gómez"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "María Alejandra Castillo-Ortega"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Mateo Ávila-Díaz"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Claudia Denise De Paula",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9632-9585"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ricardo David Andrade-Pizarro",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1673-0361"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cv11eg3hm1t0s.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/polym18212782",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "cv11eg3hm1t0s",
  "issns": [
    "2073-4360"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/21/2782",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-07",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cv11eg3hm1t0s.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-10T00:21:22Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/polym18212782",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/21/2782"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "issn:2073-4360",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Physicochemical, Structural, Thermal, Rheological and Functional Properties of Precooked Composite Flour from Cowpea, Unripe Plantain, and Sweet Potato, and Their Use in Cookies and Muffins",
  "title_text": "Physicochemical, Structural, Thermal, Rheological and Functional Properties of Precooked Composite Flour from Cowpea, Unripe Plantain, and Sweet Potato, and Their Use in Cookies and Muffins",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-10T00:21:22Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cv11eg3hm1t0s",
  "venue": "Polymers",
  "versions": []
}