Enhancing acceptability of Chinese steamed bread through corn and oats blending: Formulation, physical, and sensory properties

•The research highlights of this paper are listed below.•Ideal blend achieved with 28 % Yunnan corn, 6 % Sichuan corn, and 2 % oat flour.•OCCSB exceled due to lower gas porosity and an enhanced spread ratio.•OCCSB stood out with a superior score, surpassing that of CCCSB-20 %.•Optimizing formulations in CSB were able to achieve improved sensory quality. This study aimed to elevate the sensory value of Chinese steamed bread (CSB) by incorporating a blend of oats and corn. Through meticulous formulation, we achieved an optimal amalgamation for oat and corn Chinese steamed bread (OCCSB), comprising 28 % Yunnan corn flour (with 36 % amylose), 6 % Sichuan corn flour (with 26 % amylose), and 2 % oat flour. Employing a comprehensive array of analytical techniques encompassing rheology, microscopy, color assessment, and sensory quality rating, we conducted a comparative study involving OCCSB, meticulously optimized CSB formulations, and commercially available corn-enriched CSBs (comprising 20 % or 25 % corn flour). OCCSB containing 34 % corn flour and 2 % oat flour could be a promising candidate, with the percentage of the corn flour content in the bread being about 1.51 times that of the commercial corn CSBs. OCCSB also had a higher gas porosity, spread ratio (1.38) and quality score (68.13), compared with the commercial corn CSBs. Its appealing visual profile was highlighted by a vivid yellow hue in both the crust and crumb. Furthermore, its unparalleled quality score outshone those of commercial alternatives. These noteworthy findings illuminate the potential of corn and oat as staple food ingredients, propelling advancements in the remarkable processing and practical application.