Effects of pretreatments of banana (Musa AAA,Omini) on the composition, rheological properties, and baking quality of its flour and composite blends with wheat flour

Green banana (Musa ssp.) mixed pulp and peel flour: A new ingredient with interesting bioactive, nutritional, and technological properties for food applications

This study aimed to characterize and evaluate the in vitro bioactive properties of green banana pulp (GBPF), peel (GBPeF), and mixed pulp/peel flours M1 (90/10) and M2 (80/20). Lipid concentration was higher in GBPeF (7.53%), as were the levels of free and bound phenolics (577 and 653.1 mg GAE/100 g, respectively), whereas the resistant starch content was higher in GBPF (44.11%). Incorporating up to 20% GBPeF into the mixed flour had a minor effect on the starch pasting properties of GBPF. GBPeF featured rutin and trans-ferulic acid as the predominant free and bound phenolic compounds, respectively. GBPF presented different major free phenolics, though it had similar bound phenolics to GBPeF. Both M1 and M2 demonstrated a reduction in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Consequently, this study validates the potential of green banana mixed flour, containing up to 20% GBPeF, for developing healthy foods and reducing post-harvest losses.

Physicochemical and Rheological Characteristics of Commercial and Monovarietal Wheat Flours from Peru

In Peru, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the main resources in the food industry; however, due to its low harvested area, it is the second most imported cereal. The quality of wheat flour was studied to verify that it has desirable characteristics for the preparation of bakery products. The quality of commercial and monovarietal wheat flours was assessed by measuring their physicochemical and rheological parameters, as well as the gluten content and wheat protein fractions. Eight commercial wheat flours and four monovarietal wheat flours (Barba negra, Candeal, Espelta, and Duro) from Peru were evaluated. Commercial wheat flours presented significantly higher levels of protein and gluten index compared to monovarietal wheat flours (p < 0.05). Between both groups, no significant differences were observed in the content of wet and dry gluten. Interestingly, monovarietal wheat flours presented a higher percentage of gliadins and albumins/globulins, as well as lower levels of glutenin, compared to commercial wheat flours (p < 0.05). According to the logistic regression models, the baking strength (W) was the most important parameter to evaluate the quality of commercial and monovarietal wheat flours. Our results show that monovarietal wheat flours show a lower quality compared to commercial wheat flours.

How Does Cultivar, Maturation, and Pre-Treatment Affect Nutritional, Physicochemical, and Pasting Properties of Plantain Flours?

The effect of cultivar, ripening stage, and pre-treatment method were investigated on the nutritional, physicochemical, and pasting properties of plantain flours from two plantains and two plantain hybrids. There were significant variations (p < 0.05) in chemical composition and physical properties influenced by the interaction of cultivars, ripening stages, and pre-treatment methods. The highest levels of amylose, water-holding capacity (WHC), and oil-holding capacity (OHC) were observed in unripe flours and acid-treated flour recorded the highest content of resistant starch (RS). Flour after pre-blanching contained the highest level of total phenolic (TP), carotenoid contents, and browning index (BI) value. In contrast, acid-treated flours had the lowest BI value. As ripening progressed, peak viscosity and breakdown values increased but final viscosity, setback, and pasting temperature values were reduced. Untreated flour samples showed the highest peak viscosity. Higher breakdown values were found in acid-treated samples and higher setback values in pre-blanched samples.

Physicochemical Properties and Consumer Acceptance of Bread Enriched with Alternative Proteins

A projected global population growth by 2050 and climate change crises have led to increasing demand in edible protein sources; thus, scientific research and food industries are searching for alternatives. In this study, we investigated the incorporation of plant- and insect-based protein sources in wheat-based formulations. The Alveographic properties of dough and the effects on bread physicochemical and sensory characteristics were analysed. Including pea protein or insect powder improved the nutritional value, increasing protein content, but influenced the dough and bread properties. Pea protein significantly increased the dough extensibility (L), tenacity (P), and their ratio (P/L) in dough with insect blends and the control. Bread texture properties were significantly affected by the addition of pea and insect flour. Higher amounts of pea protein incorporation increased hardness values and showed a mean cell area lower than the control bread. Crust colour analysis showed significant differences concerning the control bread, while crumb colour was affected by the flour colour. Word association analysis showed insect bread was associated with an emotional dimension, wheat bread was linked with “tradition”, and pea bread was associated with “fruit and vegetable”.