Physicochemical and Sensory Attributes of Wheat Bread Supplemented with Mashed Potato

Abstract

Rising wheat prices and import dependence are increasing the need for affordable, locally available alternatives in bread making. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is widely grown but underused in bakery products. While dried potato flour typically cannot exceed 20–30% substitution due to gluten weakening, fresh mashed potato may behave differently because of its pre-gelatinized starch and intact cellular structure. This study examined bread in which wheat flour was replaced with fresh mashed potato at 0%, 30% and 50% levels. Standard baking procedures were applied and physicochemical properties (moisture, ash, protein, fat, fiber), pH and energy content were analyzed using AOAC methods. Consumer sensory evaluation was conducted with 30 participants using a 9-point hedonic scale. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA, LSD post-hoc testing, effect size estimation and confidence intervals. Results showed that increasing mashed potato significantly increased moisture, ash and crude fiber, while protein content decreased as expected. A marked increase in measured fat was observed, but this is most likely an analytical artifact caused by matrix effects during extraction rather than a true compositional change. The 50% substitution level produced the highest sensory acceptance, particularly for texture, flavor and overall liking. Overall, fresh mashed potato enabled up to 50% wheat replacement with improved hydration, mineral and fiber characteristics and acceptable sensory quality. However, absence of loaf volume, dough rheology and staling measurements limits full assessment of bread structure and functionality. Further studies should include these parameters and refine lipid analysis methods for starch-rich food systems