This study aimed to investigate the effect of sugars with distinct heating and melting characteristics on the quality of cooked products, with a specific emphasis on the role of moisture. Candies and cookies were prepared using granulated sugar W and its crushed form WP, which start melting at approximately 150°C. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves revealed differences between the W-sugar and WP-sugar. In the absence of moisture, WP candies exhibited a more intense coloration than W candies. Conversely, in cookies containing moisture, W cookies were more colored and bitter than WP cookies. Prior to baking, dissolution of residual sugar was observed in the cookie dough, with solubility increasing as heating progressed. Post-baking, the sugar solidified, apparently encapsulating the wheat starch grain structure. The production of reducing sugars also differed. It was considered that the cooked product heated without moisture and the cooked product containing moisture had different sugar decomposition conditions upon heating, resulting in differences in the formation of colored and bitter substances caused by sugar caramelization and aminocarbonyl reactions, which influence both color and flavor. Thus, differences in sugar melting points result in variations in the quality of cooked products; however, these differences are not consistent because they are significantly influenced by the presence and quantity of moisture.

Gluten-free (GF) bread has a shorter shelf life and stales quicker than wheat-based bread. Here, we investigated how the addition of high-temperature water affects rice flour bread staling. Breads made with water at 5℃ and 50-80℃ were stored for 0-48 h, and changes in gelatinization, moisture content, and firmness were analyzed. After 48 h, breads made with high-temperature water (60-80℃) tended to have a higher degree of gelatinization and moisture content than those made with cold water (5℃), especially when using high-amylose rice flour. Crumb firm analysis indicated reduced firmness when optimal water temperatures were used for low, medium, and high amylose content rice flours, compared to when made at 5℃. Bread made with added exogenous enzymes also exhibited an anti-staling effect when prepared with high-temperature water. Further, breads made with high-temperature water had short starch chains, suggesting that the anti-staling effect was due to starch hydrolysis by endogenous enzymes in rice flour.

To develop a new processed food using breadfruit (BF), we prepared pão de queijo using powdered BF. The quality and sensory properties of the product was then examined.

The volume of pão de queijo decreased with increasing amounts of BF powder substitution. The texture became firmer and crumbled more easily with increasing BF powder substitution. Sensory evaluation of the texture aligned closely with the physical property measurements. In taste and overall sensory evaluations, a preference was shown for lower BF powder substitution. However, pão de queijo with 50% tapioca starch substituted with BF powder did not reduce the palatability. These findings suggest the potential use of BF powder in processed foods.