Mesquite (Prosopis alba) flour as a novel ingredient for obtaining a “panettone-like” bread. Applicability of part-baking technology

Mesquite Tree (Prosopis spp.): A Native Resource for the Potential for Human Consumption and Healthcare

Mesquite is a tree widely distributed in arid and semi-arid areas of the American continent. Its use dates back to the native cultures of the continent. Its use mainly focuses on obtaining products for human consumption, traditional medicine, fuel, and construction. There are 44 known species, which are widely distributed in the north and south of the American continent, and some of them can be found in Africa, Asia, and Australia. The entire mesquite tree can be used without wasting any part of the plant. Its uses include fodder for small farm animals, furniture manufacturing, firewood for fuel, charcoal for cooking, or biofuel biomass. As for its use in human food, the mature seeds and pods are used to obtain a gluten-free flour added as a supplement in baking corn and wheat products. This flour is rich in fiber, protein, and minerals and low in fat. Due to the presence of compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic compounds in various tissues or sections of the plant, it has a high antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal capacity, among other properties that make the Prosopis tree an excellent source of active compounds, flours, natural sugars, and gums that can be used by the food industry to enrich the population's diet. It is an underutilized and widely distributed natural resource in the American continent that should not be ignored.

Insects, Plants, and Microorganisms from Dry Lands as Novel Sources of Proteins and Peptides for Human Consumption

Protein malnutrition is present in developing countries but also in developed ones due to actual eating habits involving insufficient protein intake. In addition to this, it is estimated by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations that the world's population will increase to 9.1 billion people in less than 30 years. This poses a significant challenge in terms of nourishing the population. Different strategies have been proposed to address this challenge, including exploring novel protein sources such as plants. For instance, Prosopis alba pods have an 85.5% protein content. Other examples are microorganisms, such as Halobacillus adaensis which produces 571 U/mL of protease, and insects such as those belonging to the Orthoptera order, like grasshoppers, which have a protein content of 65.96%. These sources have been found in dry lands and are being explored to address this challenge.

Muffin-Type Bakery Product Based on Mexican Mesquite (Prosopis spp.) Flour: Texture Profile, Acceptability, and Physicochemical Properties

In this research, muffin-type bakery products were developed based on wheat flour (WF) and mesquite flour (MF) in the following proportions: WFMF 90:10, WFMF 75:25, and WFMF 50:50. The products were characterized based on various properties in which it was possible to observe that the water activity (aw) did not show a significant change with the increase in the concentration of MF. In addition, the increase in the concentration of MF modified the sensory properties (color, odor, flavor, texture, and acceptance), further decreasing the luminosity and increasing the values of the a* and b* coordinates. Moreover, in the texture profile analysis, it was found that the increase in the MF concentration increased hardness, fracturability, and gumminess and decreased adhesiveness and cohesiveness. All the previously mentioned changes were more evident in the WFMF50:50 and, to a lesser degree, in WFMF75:25. In general, in most evaluations realized, the WFMF90:10 treatment was the most similar to the control (without MF). However, WFMMF75:25 provided a higher protein and fiber content and a lower fat content. Finally, it is possible to use the flour obtained from the mesquite fruit to make bakery products since it is an important source of food due to the wide distribution of mesquite in the country.

Novel flours from leguminosae (Neltuma ruscifolia) pods for technological improvement and nutritional enrichment of wheat bread

Wheat bread is widely consumed in many Western cultures (>70 kg/per capita/year) despite the fact that the flour milling process reduces the content of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals resulting in baked goods nutritionally poor. Vinal (Neltuma or Prosopis ruscifolia) fruit is an American carob that can be grinded to obtain different fractions such as endocarp, seeds, residue and the whole pod flours. The objective of the work was to analyse the chemical compositions, colour and physical, functional and hydration properties of grinding fractions from vinal (Neltuma ruscifolia); and also, study their application in wheat bread and their effect on rheological, textural and organoleptic characteristics. The obtained flours showed to be a good source of proteins (>30% seed flour) and dietary fibre (>38% endocarp flour), with good physical and functional properties, denoting its suitability as promising novel ingredients for the design and formulation of nutritionally enriched wheat breads. The addition of vinal flours (5%) in replacement of wheat flour in a traditional bread significantly affected the rheology, giving as results less extensive doughs. The bread loaf showed a lower specific volume, and firmer and darker colour with brown tone crumbs. Sensory analysis revealed a good degree of acceptance for the enriched breads (with the best values for residue flour) suggesting that these novel flours would be suitable as ingredients for bakery products with good nutritional profile.

Influence of Wheat-Mesquite (Prosopis L.) Composite Flour on Dough Rheology and Quality of Bread

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of wheat-mesquite composite flour on the rheology of dough and the quality of bread. The farinographic analysis showed a decrease in the development time and stability of the dough with an increase in the mixing tolerance index. The share of mesquite flour increased the value of loss and storage moduli and reduced the dough’s susceptibility to stress. The mesquite flour addition increased the bread volume by about 17% and the number of large pores >5 mm. The brightness of the crumb containing mesquite flour decreased from 75.3 to 58.6 and the proportion of yellow colour increased from 19.9 to 26.4 in relation to the control bread. The bread with mesquite flour had a significantly softer crumb during storage in comparison with wheat bread, indicating a reduction in the staling. These observations were also confirmed by lowering the disintegration enthalpy of the retrograded amylopectin from 3.33 J/g for the control sample to 1.95 J/g for the bread containing 10% of mesquite flour.

Influence of Preferments on the Physicochemical and Sensory Quality of Traditional Panettone

In Peru, panettones are consumed in July and December. The main ingredient of panettones is wheat flour, which can be replaced with substitute flours to improve their nutritional, textural and sensory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical, textural and sensory characteristics of panettones produced with three preferments, namely, biga (PB), sourdough (PMM) and sponge (PE), with the substitution of red quinoa flour and amaranth compared with a commercial product (PC). A completely randomized design with four experimental treatments was used to evaluate the total carbohydrate content, ash, total energy, fat, moisture, protein, color and texture profile. In addition, sensory characteristics were evaluated by 80 consumers using the CATA method; the purchase intention and preference ranking were also investigated. The results showed better sensory characteristics of panettones produced with preferments compared with a commercial product with similar characteristics. The sponge preferment presented better sensory characteristics with a profile of sweet, spongy, vanilla odor and moist texture, along with greater acceptability, preference and purchase intention, followed closely by the biga. It was concluded that the sponge preferment presented better sensory properties, which were correlated with its texture profile as manifested by an intermediate hardness, good elasticity and cohesiveness, which translated into greater acceptability, preference and purchase intention.

Nutritional quality and staling of wheat bread partially replaced with Peruvian mesquite (Prosopis pallida) flour

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of partially replacing two types of wheat flour (low ash content [type 55] and high ash content [type 65]) with Peruvian Prosopis pallida (mesquite) pod flour (0, 5, 10, 15%) on the nutritional quality and staling of composite breads. Mesquite flour (MF) enhanced the nutritional quality by increasing the fibre contents and unsaturated fatty acids of the bread. MF did not affect crumb hardness either when prepared with wheat flour type 65 (p = 0.374) or 55 (p = 0.122), but reduced crumb resilience (p < 0.001) and water activity (p = 0.003) in both wheat flour types. When blended with wheat flour type 55, increasing levels of MF delayed the dehydration (p < 0.001) and resilience loss rates. Likewise, the higher the MF level, the slower the crumb hardening of composite breads formulated with wheat flour type 55 (p = 0.028). Thus, MF did not only enhance the nutritional profile of composite breads, but could also retard staling as a supplement of wheat flour type 55.

Nutritive and Bioactive Properties of Mesquite (Prosopis pallida) Flour and Its Technological Performance in Breadmaking

Although the nutritional profile, bioactivities, and uses of mesquite pod flour from various Prosopis species have been studied, limited research has been conducted on Prosopis pallida (Humb, & Bonpl. Ex Willd.) Kunth mesquite flour. This study aimed to characterize the nutritional quality and bioactive properties of P. pallida pod flour and to assess its technological performance in breadmaking as a partial replacer of white wheat flour. Peruvian P. pallida mesquite flour was found to have an appealing nutritional profile, with high contents of dietary fiber (29.6% dw) and protein (9.5% dw), and low contents of fat (1.0% dw) and carbohydrates (57.6% dw). It is a source of palmitic (12.6%), oleic (35.5%), and linoleic acids (45.8%), α-, β-, and γ- tocopherols, and contains phenolic compounds such as apigenin glycoside derivatives with proven antioxidant capacities. Extracts of P. pallida flour were also found to have antimicrobial and antifungal effects and did not show hepatoxicity. When formulated as a wheat flour replacer, increasing mesquite flour levels yield composite doughs of lower stickiness and extensibility, and composite breads of lower elasticity (p < 0.01). However, up to a level of 10%, mesquite flour significantly increases loaf volume, reduces crumb hardness, and produces a more uniform crumb of small size alveoli (p < 0.01). Considering the purpose of improving the nutritional and technological quality of wheat flour bread, the addition of P. pallida pod flour can be highly recommended.