Study on the phytochemical properties of pineapple fruit leather processed by extrusion cooking

The Potential of Edible Films, Sheets, and Coatings Based on Fruits and Vegetables in the Context of Sustainable Food Packaging Development

Several consumable substances, including fruit and vegetable purees, extracts, juices, and plant residue, were analyzed for their matrix-forming potential. These matrices serve as the basis for the production of edible films, sheets, and coatings that can be eaten as nutritional treats or applied to food products, thereby contributing to their overall good quality. Furthermore, this innovative approach also contributes to optimizing the performance of synthetic packaging, ultimately reducing reliance on synthetic polymers in various applications. This article explores the viability of incorporating fruits and vegetables as basic ingredients within edible films, sheets, and coatings. The utilization of fruits and vegetables in this manner becomes achievable due to the existence of polysaccharides and proteins that facilitate the formation of matrices in their makeup. Moreover, including bioactive substances like vitamins and polyphenols can impart attributes akin to active materials, such as antioxidants or antimicrobial agents. Advancing the creation of edible films, sheets, and coatings derived from fruits and vegetables holds great potential for merging the barrier and mechanical attributes of biopolymers with the nutritional and sensory qualities inherent in these natural components. These edible films made from fruits and vegetables could potentially serve as alternatives to seaweed in sushi production or even replace conventional bread, pancakes, tortillas, and lavash in the diet of people suffering from celiac disease or gluten allergy, while fruit and vegetable coatings may be used in fresh and processed food products, especially fruits and vegetables but also sweets.

Fresh Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Fruits as Valuable Additive in Extruded Snack Pellets: Selected Nutritional and Physiochemical Properties

In this paper, the nutritional value and (selected) physiochemical properties of extruded snack pellets enriched with fresh chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) fruits were analyzed from the perspective of being a new product for the functional food sector. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the addition of fresh chokeberry and variation in content and screw speed on extruded snack pellet basic compositions, fatty acid profiles, antioxidant activity, as well as water absorption and solubility indexes, fat absorption and color profiles. The obtained results revealed a significant increase in antioxidant activity for all samples (above 90% of free radical scavenging) in comparison to potato-based control samples (just over 20% of free radical scavenging). The total phenolic content assay revealed the most valuable results for samples enriched with 30% chokeberry, while Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) analysis allowed the determination of the most important phenolic acids. Of interest, chokeberry addition decreased the fat absorption index (FAI) after expansion by frying. Moreover, the highest values of crude protein and crude ash were observed in snack pellets supplemented by the application of 30% chokeberry. In such samples, the crude protein content was at the level of 4.75-4.87 g 100 g-1 and crude ash content at 4.88-5.07 g 100 g-1. Moreover, saturated fatty acids (SFA) content was lower in snack pellets with chokeberry addition, and increasing the amount of chokeberry additive from 10% to 30% in extruded snack pellet recipes resulted in more than double an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) proportion in the total fatty acids.

Multiresponse optimization of the extrusion process for ready-to-eat snacks from pineapple byproducts and maize flour

This research aimed to optimize the processing conditions to obtain ready-to-eat extruded snacks with a high fiber content from mixtures of pineapple byproduct powder (PBP) and nixtamalized maize flour (PBP-NMF) or maize flour (PBP-MF). The effects of barrel temperature, feed moisture content, and PBP were evaluated. The increase in barrel temperature has a negative effect on the bulk density, the water absorption index, and the texture in both mixtures (PBP-MF and PBP-NMF) and increases the expansion index and the water solubility index in the mixture with MF. The increase in the feed moisture content increased the bulk density and water absorption index in both mixtures and the texture in the mixtures with MF. The increasing PBP decreases the expansion index and increases the water solubility index in both mixtures. The increase in PBP in the mixtures with MF decreases the water absorption index, texture, and bulk density. From the optimization, four products were obtained, two for the NMF mixture and two for the MF mixtures. The optimal formulations can be considered a good source of total fiber (12.46-12.78 g/100 g) and protein (8.27-8.85 g/100 g) with good acceptance by consumers. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Pineapple byproducts in combination with nixtamalized and nonnixtamalized maize flour are viable raw materials for the development of ready-to-eat extruded snacks with a high content of dietary fiber and good acceptance by consumers. Due to their characteristic nutritional properties, the consumption of this ready-to-eat snack could present potential benefits for human health.

Physicochemical and phytochemical properties of foam mat dried passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) powder and comparison with fruit pulp

The aim of the present study was to develop purple passion fruit powder using the foam mat dried process. The possible effect of whipping time, methylcellulose concentration, and drying temperature on physicochemical and phytochemical properties of foam mat dried passion fruit was evaluated and compared with fruit pulp. The drying process was optimized using central composite design and optimum conditions were whipping time 2.78 min, methylcellulose 2.58%, temperature 44.05 °C. At the optimum condition vitamin C, total phenolic compound and hygroscopicity were 34.67 mg/100 g, 258.12 mg GAE/100 g, and 21.12%, respectively. The artificial neural network was applied to predict experimental outcomes. The phytochemical properties in terms of (±)-α tocopherol, D-α-tocotrienol, β-carotene, and phenolic acid were determined using RP-HPLC. The foam mate dried powder contained a higher amount of β-carotene (13.26 mg/100 g), total phenolic compound (258.12 mg/100 g) and phenolic acids than fruit pulp whereas fruit pulp was contented higher amount of (±)-α tocopherol (171.1 mg/100 g) and D-α-tocotrienol (27.19 mg/100 g). The study manifested foam mate drying as an effective way to develop passion fruit powder.

Enrichment of Mango Fruit Leathers with Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa) Improves Their Phytochemical Content and Antioxidant Properties

Natal plum fruit (Carissa macrocarpa) is indigenous to South Africa and a rich source of cyanidin derivatives. Indigenous fruits play a major role in food diversification and sustaining food security in the Southern African region. Agro-processing of indigenous are practiced adopted by the rural African communities in order to reduce the postharvest wastage of fruit commodities. In the current study, Natal plum was added to mango pulp at different ratios (mango and Natal plum (5:1, 3:1, 2:1)) to develop a healthy-functional snack (fruit leather). The effects of added Natal plum on the availability of antioxidant constituents and in vitro antioxidant properties of a mango-based fruit leather were evaluated by comparing with mango fruit leather. Fruit leather containing mango and Natal plum (2:1) retained the highest content of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside chloride, cyanidin- 3-O-β-sambubioside, epicatechin, apigenin, kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin-3-O-rhamnosyl glucoside, catechin, quinic, and chlorogenic acids, and in vitro antioxidant activity. Proximate analysis showed that 100 g of fruit leather (2:1) contained 63.51 g carbohydrate, 40.85 g total sugar, 0.36 g fat, and 269.88 cal. Therefore, enrichment of mango fruit leather with Natal plum (2:1) increases its phytochemical content and dietary phytochemical intake, especially for school children and adolescents.

Optimization of the extrusion process for preparation of soluble dietary fiber-enriched calamondin pomace and its influence on the properties of bread

Calamondin pomace is a by-product obtained after calamondin juice extraction. The effects of extrusion variables on the soluble dietary fiber (SDF) of calamondin pomace were investigated by response surface methodology. Bread samples with different contents of extruded calamondin pomace (ECP) additive were produced and their textural and sensory properties evaluated. The optimal conditions for the extrusion of calamondin pomace were found to be a barrel temperature of 129 °C, feed moisture of 16%, and a screw speed of 298 rpm. The results revealed that extrusion increased the SDF of the calamondin pomace because the redistribution of insoluble dietary fiber formed SDF. A monosaccharide profile indicated that total dietary fiber in calamondin pomace processed by extrusion contained a high content of uronic acid and arabinose and a low amount of glucose, suggesting the presence of pectic polysaccharide and trace amounts of cellulose and hemicellulose. Increasing the ECP content decreased the specific volume and altered the textural properties, such as the hardness, gumminess and chewiness of the bread, and the bread became darker and redder in appearance. Sensory evaluation indicated that bread with 5% ECP content had good overall acceptability. Thus, extrusion of calamondin pomace can effectively increase the SDF content and resulting ECP can be used to produce SDF-enriched breads with sensory acceptability.

Extrusion of apple pomace increases antioxidant activity upon in vitro digestion

Apple pomace, a by-product of juice production, is a high-fibre, high-polyphenol functional food ingredient.

Effect of extrusion conditions on the physicochemical and phytochemical properties of red rice and passion fruit powder based extrudates

The passion fruit powder blended rice flour based extrudate was developed and investigated in terms of physicochemical and phytochemical properties. The extrusion process was performed using a twin screw extruder and optimized using rotatable central composite design followed by response surface methodology. The effect of process parameters such as temperature (80-150 °C), screw speed (200-400 rpm), moisture content (20-30%) and passion fruit powder (0-15%) on product quality was investigated. The optimum extrusion conditions of temperature, screw speed, feed moisture content, and passion fruit powder were 97.50 °C, 250 rpm, 25.20% and 11.25%, respectively. At optimum condition, the predicted values of responses were expansion ratio 8.05, water absorption index 2.77, total phenolic content 129.492 mg GAE/100 g and DPPH scavenging activity 65.79%. A comparison between optimized and control extrudates revealed that thermal, crystallinity and morphological properties of extrudates differed significantly. The comparison was also conducted in terms of FT-IR, SEM-EDS and HPLC analysis. The phytochemical properties showed that β-carotene, cyanidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-D-glucoside chloride were higher in control whereas the optimized sample evinced more (±)-α-tocopherol and D-α-tocopherol.

Optimization and quality assessment of ready-to-eat intermediate moisture compressed beetroot bar

A ready-to-eat food product in the form of compressed bar from beetroot, enriched with dates and oats was developed. Levels of intermediate moisture beetroot shreds (60-100 g), dates (10-30 g) and oats (5-15 g) were optimized using response surface methodology and its quality attributes were investigated over a period of 6 months at different temperature conditions (ambient temperature; 22-32 and 37 °C). Optimum formulation for best beetroot bar consisted of beetroot shreds, dates and oat were derived as 71.8, 21.2, and 8.4 g, respectively. Developed product was found rich in fibers and minerals and recorded 38.4 mg/100 g betacyanains, 23.1 mg/100 g betaxanthins, 295 mg/100 g total phenolics (TP) and 160 mg/100 g total flavonoids (TF). The shelf stability studies of bar revealed predominant changes in bioactive compounds was caused by storage temperature. A loss of around 30, 15, 25, 31 and 32 % was observed for betacyanins, betaxanthins, TP, TF and radical scavenging activity, respectively during storage of 6 months at 6 °C compared to AT or 37 °C temperature conditions. The product had high overall sensory acceptability as well as microbial safety up to 6 months when stored at AT. The study indicated that beetroot could be effectively utilized into a novel shelf-stable ready-to-eat nutritious compressed product.