Functionality of chestnut and fat/oil contents in cocoa chestnut cream production—A new product development

Sustainability on Bread: How Fiber-Rich Currant Pomace Affects Rheological and Sensory Properties of Sweet Fat-Based Spreads

Dietary fiber may contribute to increasing the nutritional value of “unhealthy food”—for instance, spreads with high fat and sugar content. The high amount of fiber and the presence of phenolic compounds, organic fruit acids, and aroma compounds make currant pomace a promising ingredient to be used in a wide range of foods. However, the particle size of this by-product is a key factor influencing texture, rheology, physical stability, and sensory properties of the final commodities. Wet planetary ball milling of seedless currant pomace suspended in oil resulted in particles <30 µm, which is required for a creamy texture. Spread stiffness and viscosity were adapted by lowering the solid fat content in a way that the fruity spreads with 16 g/100 g pomace resembled a sweet commercial nut spread. The pomace showed stabilizing effects, as oil separation was reduced and a viscosity increase during storage was prevented. Principal component analysis after sensory flash profiling of five formulations highlighted differences in fruitiness, sweetness, greasiness, and viscosity. Hence, depending on the pomace level and fat composition in the formulation, the properties of sweet spreads can be specifically designed to fulfill the respective requirements. Additionally, sweet and savory wafer fillings provide great potential to be enriched with fruit pomace.

Cocoa Spread with Grape Seed Oil and Encapsulated Grape Seed Extract: Impact on Physical Properties, Sensory Characteristics and Polyphenol Content

The aim of this study was to utilize grape pomace, as a polyphenol-rich by-product of wine production, in the manufacture of enriched cocoa spread. The formulation of the cocoa spread has been modified by substitution of refined sunflower oil with cold-pressed grape seed oil. The spread with grape seed oil (Cg) was further enriched with grape seed extract encapsulated on maltodextrins (E), where 10% and 15% of E was added to Cg obtaining the samples Cg10 and Cg15. The results showed an increase in volume-weighted mean in spread samples, from 19.17 μm in Cg to 19.71 μm in Cg10 and 21.04 μm in Cg15. Casson yield stress and Casson viscosity significantly (p ˂ 0.05) increased from 16.41 Pa and 1.58 Pa·s in Cg to 29.45 Pa and 5.70 Pa·s in Cg15 due to the reduction of the fat-phase content in enriched spreads. The addition of E had no significant effect on the melting temperature (Tpeak) of the enriched spreads, while increasing the amount of E significantly (p ˂ 0.05) increased their hardness. The incorporation of grape seed oil in the cocoa spread formulation contributed to an increase in total polyphenols and flavonoids. Moreover, the addition of 10% and 15% of E to Cg resulted in approximately 1.5× and 2× higher content of phenolic compounds in Cg10 and Cg15 compared to control spread with sunflower oil (Cs). Flavonoids increased from 0.43 mg CE/g in Cs to 0.74 mg CE/g in Cg 10 and 1.24 mg CE/g in Cg15. Encapsulates positively affected sensory characteristics of enriched spread samples by reducing their grape seed oil aroma and sweetness.

Modulation and Characterization of Wax-Based Olive Oil Organogels in View of Their Application in the Food Industry

Olive oil has recognized health benefits but lacks structural resilience to act in a similar fashion as do the typically used triglycerides (TAGs) when applied in food manufacturing. Therefore, olive oil structuring is critical to widening its use as a healthier alternative in spreadable products. Foreseeing the development of an application for the food industry, three types of natural waxes were used as organogelators, generating olive oil organogels with distinct properties. Retail-simulated storage conditions were used to mimic real-life industrial and commercial use. Organogel systems were evaluated according to their oxidation stability and textural and rheological properties. Textural and rheological parameters increased in response to increasing gelator concentration, while oxidation values (below 1.5 meq O₂·kg^-1) remained within legal limits. Organogels displayed similar textural properties to those of commercially available spreadable products, while displaying a low critical gelation concentration. In short, it was shown that tailoring the physicochemical properties of organogels towards specific applications is possible. The produced organogels showed similar properties to the ones of commercially available spreadable products, revealing favourable oxidative profiles. Therefore, an industrial application can be easily foreseen, building on the natural characteristics of olive oil as a healthier alternative to current spreadable products.