Influence of Sorghum Flour Substitution on Cooking, Textural, and Sensory Properties of Pasta

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of partial substitution of wheat flour with sorghum flour (0–40%) on the quality characteristics of pasta. Composite flours were prepared by replacing wheat flour with sorghum flour at levels of 10, 20, 30, and 40%, while 100% wheat flour served as the control. The prepared pasta samples were analyzed for cooking properties and sensory attributes. Results indicated that increasing sorghum flour significantly (p < 0.05) increased the swelling index, reflecting higher water absorption capacity, while firmness decreased due to the weakening of the gluten network. Sensory evaluation revealed a gradual decline in color, texture, taste, and overall acceptability with increasing sorghum levels, with the control sample receiving the highest scores and 40% substitution the lowest. However, samples containing 10–20% sorghum flour showed acceptable sensory quality. The findings suggest that sorghum flour can be successfully incorporated into wheat pasta to enhance its nutritional profile, particularly dietary fiber content, without significantly compromising quality at lower substitution levels. Therefore, a substitution level of up to 20% is recommended.