Development and Quality Evaluation of Water Chestnut Flour Sheets for Culinary Plate Decoration

Abstract

This research study aims to 1) investigate the production of taro starch sheets for food decoration, 2) examine the physicochemical quality and nutritional value of the starch sheets for food decoration, and 3) study the shelf life of taro starch sheets under different storage conditions by assessing changes in moisture content. The sample group consisted of 50 sensory evaluators. The research tool used was a 9-Point Hedonic Scale for evaluating sensory quality in terms of appearance, color, aroma, taste, texture (crispiness), and overall preference. Analyze the data using mean statistics, standard deviation, and one-way ANOVA. Compare the differences using Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a 95 percent confidence level.

            The research findings revealed that 1) the use of water chestnut powder in five different levels, namely 0 percent, 25 percent, 50 percent, 75 percent, and 100 percent, showed that the evaluators accepted the starch sheets made from 100 percent water chestnut powder with the highest scores in various preference aspects, which was statistically significant at the level of (p≤0.05). 2) The physicochemical quality showed that under room temperature conditions (30±2 °C), the texture remained stable for 15-30 minutes. The L* value decreased, and the a* value increased, while the b* value showed no difference. Increasing the amount of water chestnut powder reduced moisture and hardness. The nutritional value of water chestnut flour per 100 grams provided 523.64 kilocalories, 54.86 grams of carbohydrates, 30.64 grams of fat, 7.11 grams of protein, 4.40 grams of fiber, 2.82 grams of ash, and 4.57 grams of moisture. 3) Storing at a refrigerated temperature (4±2 °C) is the most effective condition for controlling moisture levels and slowing down the physical quality changes of the taro starch sheets compared to storing at room temperature (30±2 °C).