Young Corn Ear Enhances Nutritional Composition and Unchanged Physical Properties of Chiffon Cake

The effects of partial replacement of wheat flour with young corn ear (YCE) on nutritional composition and physical characteristics of chiffon cake were investigated. Dried YCE was processed into powdered form and added in chiffon cake formulations to partially replace wheat flour at concentrations of 0, 10, 20 and 30%. The nutritional composition, especially moisture and ash contents of chiffon cake added with YCE were increased in line with the levels of YCE used. Even though protein content of cake added with YCE increase in line (13.3 to 15.7%) with the levels of YCE (10 to 30%), but there was no significant different compared to control. Replacing partially wheat flour with YCE up to 30% resulted in insignificant changes in both dough yield and baking loss rate. However, specific gravity was unchanged (0.59-0.60 g/ml) when the wheat flour replaced with YCE up to 20% in cake formulations. Meanwhile, all textural attributes (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness and resilience) were not affected when cakes prepared with 10% YCE. In summary, partial replacement of wheat flour with YCE improves some nutritional composition but unchanged physical properties at 10% replacement. Thus, this under-utilized agricultural by-product can be suggested as an alternative ingredient in enhancement of dietary fibres in food products.