Abstract:
To investigate the quality changes of edible cassava flour at different stages of harvesting(from August to December), this study selected three types of edible cassava flour (SC205, GR891, and SC9) prepared from samples obtained at different period of growth, and measured their nutrient content and processing characteristics. In addition, this study conducted correlation analysis and cluster analysis, and assessed the suitability of the flours for processed food products. The results revealed that the nutrient contents and processing characteristics of the three cassava flours showed different trends with an extension of the growing period. Specifically, SC9 cassava flour had the highest starch content and the lowest crude fiber content in November (77.63% and 0.70%, respectively), whereas GR891 cassava flour had the highest protein content in September, reaching 5.26%. Among the three types of edible cassava flour, the SC9 type showed the best performance in terms of bulk density, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, solubility, swelling capacity, light transmittance, and freeze-thaw stability (expressed in terms of water separation rate) under the following conditions: Bulk density peaked at 0.78 g/mL in November, water absorption capacity was highest at 127.36% in October, oil absorption capacity reached a maximum of 3.20 mL/g in November, solubility was optimal at 46.25% in December at 85 ℃, swelling capacity was highest at 27.27% in October at 95 ℃, light transmittance peaked at 13.10% in November, and the best water separation rate (37.23%) was obtained in December. There were varying degrees of correlation between the nutrient content and processing characteristics of the three types of cassava flour, which were classified into four groups at different growth periods based on cluster analysis, whereas nutrient contents and processing characteristics were classified into three groups. Furthermore, this study examined the suitability of cassava flour at different growth periods for food processing, and established that this flour has a potentially broad range of applications, including in the production of staple foods, snacks, and instant foods. This study will provide a theoretical basis for determining the optimal harvest time of cassava and developing diverse cassava-based products.