Unlocking the potential of china potato (Colocasia esculenta) starch: Physicochemical properties and applications in frozen bread dough formulations

Claudio José López-Guevara; Clara Elena Villacrés-Poveda; Maria Monserrath Morales Padilla; Claudio José López-Guevara; Clara Elena Villacrés-Poveda; Maria Monserrath Morales Padilla

doi:10.3934/agrfood.2026049

AIMS Agriculture and Food

2026, Volume 11, Issue 4: 996-1010. doi: 10.3934/agrfood.2026049

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Research article

Unlocking the potential of china potato (Colocasia esculenta) starch: Physicochemical properties and applications in frozen bread dough formulations

1.
Technical University of Cotopaxi, Postgraduate in Agroindustry, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 050103, Latacunga, Ecuador
2.
Department of Nutrition and Quality, National Institute of Agricultural Research, INIAP, P.O. Box 17, Mejía 0518, Mejía, Ecuador

Received: 14 August 2026 Revised: 22 September 2026 Accepted: 19 October 2026 Published: 04 November 2026

The growing market for frozen bakery products has increased the demand for ingredients with suitable technological properties for frozen dough applications. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the technological performance of native, fermented, and precooked Colocasia esculenta starch in frozen bread dough by characterizing its physicochemical, functional, rheological, and microstructural properties, as well as its effect on bread quality after frozen storage. Three starch treatments were evaluated: native starch (T1), fermented starch obtained using baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (T2), and precooked starch obtained by steam treatment (T3). Starch extraction yield was highest for T1 (13.52%), followed by T3 (12.59%) and T2 (8.57%). The treatments produced differences in functional, chemical, and rheological properties. Fermented starch exhibited the highest peak viscosity (1520.01 cP), whereas precooked starch showed the lowest final viscosity (90.01 cP) and the highest degree of gelatinization. In bread prepared from frozen dough, native starch showed the highest expansion index (1.60), while fermented starch produced the highest hardness (3991.37 g) and the highest sensory scores for color (4.8), texture (4.6), and overall acceptability (4.6). These findings indicate that fermentation and steam treatment produced distinct starch profiles that were reflected in the physical, textural, and sensory characteristics of the resulting bread. The results provide evidence of the technological potential of C. esculenta starch treatments for frozen bread dough applications within the experimental conditions evaluated in this study.
- Colocasia esculenta,
- modified starch,
- frozen bread dough,
- breadmaking,
- technological properties
Citation: Claudio José López-Guevara, Clara Elena Villacrés-Poveda, Maria Monserrath Morales Padilla. Unlocking the potential of china potato (Colocasia esculenta) starch: Physicochemical properties and applications in frozen bread dough formulations[J]. AIMS Agriculture and Food, 2026, 11(4): 996-1010. doi: 10.3934/agrfood.2026049

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Abstract

The growing market for frozen bakery products has increased the demand for ingredients with suitable technological properties for frozen dough applications. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the technological performance of native, fermented, and precooked Colocasia esculenta starch in frozen bread dough by characterizing its physicochemical, functional, rheological, and microstructural properties, as well as its effect on bread quality after frozen storage. Three starch treatments were evaluated: native starch (T1), fermented starch obtained using baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (T2), and precooked starch obtained by steam treatment (T3). Starch extraction yield was highest for T1 (13.52%), followed by T3 (12.59%) and T2 (8.57%). The treatments produced differences in functional, chemical, and rheological properties. Fermented starch exhibited the highest peak viscosity (1520.01 cP), whereas precooked starch showed the lowest final viscosity (90.01 cP) and the highest degree of gelatinization. In bread prepared from frozen dough, native starch showed the highest expansion index (1.60), while fermented starch produced the highest hardness (3991.37 g) and the highest sensory scores for color (4.8), texture (4.6), and overall acceptability (4.6). These findings indicate that fermentation and steam treatment produced distinct starch profiles that were reflected in the physical, textural, and sensory characteristics of the resulting bread. The results provide evidence of the technological potential of C. esculenta starch treatments for frozen bread dough applications within the experimental conditions evaluated in this study.

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