Variation in Colour Attributes of Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) Flour from Five Different Provinces in Sri Lanka as a Potential Alternative for Wheat Flour
M.K.S. Malki1*, J.A.A.C. Wijesinghe1, R.H.M.K. Ratnayake2, G.C. Thilakarathna3
1Department of Bio-systems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila, 60170, Sri Lanka.
2Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila, 60170, Sri Lanka.
3Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Puliyankulama Jaffna Road, Anuradhapura, 50000, Sri Lanka.
*Corresponding author: malkisuz@gmail.com
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54117/ijnfs.v1i2.14
Keywords: Arrowroot, Colour evaluation, Colourimeter, L* a* b* values, Maranta arundinacea
Abstract
Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) rhizome flour is a good gluten-free substitute for wheat flour. To evaluate the influence of colour on replacing wheat flour with arrowroot flour, the colour attributes of arrowroot flour from five different Provinces (Western, North-Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa, and Uva) were compared with the colour of standard wheat flour. Using the colour of wheat flour as a standard, the colours of arrowroot flour samples were determined using a colourimeter (PCE-CSM 2, United States). Flour samples were examined for L* (lightness), a* (redness), b* (yellowness), and ΔE (colour deviation). Yellowness was significantly distinct, although lightness and redness were not statistically different. There were negative moderate correlations between L* and a* (-0.791; P < 0.05) and L* and b* (-0.831; P < 0.05). While there were some slight variations in the colour characteristics among different arrowroot flour samples, their colours were highly close to the colour of wheat flour.