Investigation of the Effect of Additives on the Texture of Amorphophallus Sp. Noodles

Abstract

Konjac noodles, which are derived from Amorphophallus muelleri flour (AMF), are a promising functional food due to their high dietary fiber content and health benefits, including cholesterol regulation and glucose control. However, their acceptance is limited by poor textural characteristics such as excessive chewiness and weak structure. This study aims to investigate the effects of two specific additives, which are calcium hydroxide and psyllium husk, on the textural properties of AMF-based noodles, focusing on firmness, springiness, and toughness. The noodles were prepared using a 1:10 ratio of kojac flour to water, with various concentrations of calcium hydroxide (0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%) and psyllium husk (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%) (w/w). Texture profile analysis (TPA) showed that calcium hydroxide significantly enhanced firmness, while psyllium husk improved springiness and overall chewiness of noodles. The findings revealed that using 0.01% calcium hydroxide and 0.2% psyllium husk enhances the texture of konjac noodles, which increases firmness (784.96 g), moderate springiness (11.89%), and high toughness (5607 g·s). This combination of both additives produced a synergistic effect, producing a texture similar to conventional wheat-based noodles while retaining the health benefits of konjac. The findings highlight that optimizing additive levels can improve the sensory and structural quality of konjac-based functional foods.