Pasting and gel texture properties of starch-molasses combinations

Abstract Molasses replacement by sugar are used in new product formulations for enrichment quality of products in the food industry. The influence of addition of wheat and corn starches on grape and carob molasses at different concentrations in distilled water (from 0 to 30% w/w) and holding temperatures (90 to 98 °C), pasting and gel texture properties were determined. Pasting parameters for carob molasses-starch combinations were higher than grape molasses-starch, due to presence of different sugar content in carob molasses. Textural properties of carob molasses-wheat starch interactions were affected more highly than grape molasses-wheat starch interactions. The starch varieties affected strongly the textural parameters (hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, springiness) of gels. All sample gels lost viscous and soft sludge properties at increasing holding temperature especially 98 °C. These results showed that molasses and starch varities and different holding temperature could facilitate development of optimum final products with desired improved pasting and textural properties.