Improvement of Antioxidant Activity and Sensory Properties of Functional Cookies by Fortification with Ultrasound-Assisted Hot-Air-Drying Blackberry Powders.

In response to the global challenge of food wastage and high perishability of blackberries, this study evaluated the use of ultrasound-assisted hot air drying (US-HAD) to convert downgraded blackberries into powders, comparing it with traditional hot air drying (HAD). US-HAD reduced the drying time and achieved a final moisture content of 12%. Physicochemical analyses (colourimetry, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and total phenolic content) were conducted on fresh fruit, powders, and fortified cookies. US-HAD cookies exhibited promising antioxidant activity, with ABTS values ranging from 8.049 to 8.536 mmol TEAC/100 g and DPPH values from 8.792 to 9.232 mmol TEAC/100 g, significantly higher than control cookies. The TPC was 13.033 mgGAE/g in HAD cookies and 13.882 mgGAE/g in US-HAD cookies. UHPLC-ESI-MS analysis showed an increase in phenolic compounds content in fortified cookies compared to the control. Sensory analysis highlighted a superior blackberry flavour and overall acceptability in US-HAD cookies, with statistical analysis confirming their superior nutritional and sensory qualities. Integrating US-HAD blackberry powder into cookies helps reduce food waste and enhances the nutritional profiles of baked goods, offering functional foods with health benefits. This work provides a scientific basis for developing enriched functional cookies, offering a healthy and sustainable alternative for utilising damaged fruits.

Quality characteristics of cereal-based foods enriched with different degree of polymerization inulin: A review.

Vegetables, cereals and fruit are foods rich in fibre with beneficial and nutritional effects as their consumption reduces the onset of degenerative diseases, especially cardiovascular ones. Among fibres, inulin, oligofructose or fructooligosaccharide (FOS) are the best-studied. Inulin is a generic term to cover all linear ß(2-1) fructans, with a variable degree of polymerization. In this review a better understanding of the importance of the degree of polymerization of inulin as a dietary fibre, functions, health benefits, classifications, types and its applications in the food industry was considered in different fortified foods. Inulin has been used to increase the nutritional and healthy properties of the product as a sweetener and as a substitute for fats and carbohydrates, improving the nutritional value and decreasing the glycemic index, with the advantage of not compromising taste and consistency of the product. Bifidogenic and prebiotic effects of inulin have been well established, inulin-type fructans are fermented by the colon to produce short-chain fatty acids, with important local and systemic actions. Addition of inulin with different degrees of polymerization to daily foods for the production of fortified pasta and bread was reviewed, and the impact on sensorial, technological and organoleptic characteristics even of gluten-free bread was also reported.

A Functional End-Use of Avocado (cv. Hass) Waste through Traditional Semolina Sourdough Bread Production.

In recent years, a main goal of research has been to exploit waste from agribusiness industries as new sources of bioactive components, with a view to establishing a circular economy. Non-compliant avocado fruits, as well as avocado seeds and peels, are examples of promising raw materials due to their high nutritional yield and antioxidant profiles. This study aimed to recycle avocado food waste and by-products through dehydration to produce functional bread. For this purpose, dehydrated avocado was reduced to powder form, and bread was prepared with different percentages of the powder (5% and 10%) and compared with a control bread prepared with only semolina. The avocado pulp and by-products did not alter organoleptically after dehydration, and the milling did not affect the products' color and retained the avocado aroma. The firmness of the breads enriched with avocado powder increased due to the additional fat from the avocado, and alveolation decreased. The total phenolic content of the fortified breads was in the range of 2.408-2.656 mg GAE/g, and the antiradical activity was in the range of 35.75-38.235 mmol TEAC/100 g (p < 0.0001), depending on the percentage of fortification.

Hemp Flour Particle Size Affects the Quality and Nutritional Profile of the Enriched Functional Pasta.

The rheological and chemical quality of pasta samples, which were obtained using the durum wheat semolina fortified with the hemp seed solid residue, after oil extraction, sieved at 530 µm (Hemp 1) or 236 µm (Hemp 2) at different percentages of substitution (5%, 7.5%, and 10%, were evaluated. The total polyphenolic content in hemp flour was quantified in the range of 6.38-6.35 mg GAE/g, and free radical scavenging was included in the range from 3.94-3.75 mmol TEAC/100 g in Hemp 1 and Hemp 2, respectively. The phenolic profiles determined by UHPLC-ESI/QTOF-MS showed that cannabisin C, hydroxycinnamic and protocatechuic acids were the most abundant phenolic compounds in both hemp flours. Among the amino acids, isoleucine, glutamine, tyrosine, proline, and lysine were the most abundant in raw materials and pasta samples. Although the hemp seeds were previously subjected to oil extraction, hemp flours retain about 8% of oil, and the fatty acids present in the largest amount were linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid. Characterization of the minerals showed that the concentration of macro and trace elements increased according to fortification percentage. Sensory evaluation and cooking quality indicated that the best performance in terms of process production and consumer acceptance was obtained using Hemp 2 at 7.5%. Hemp supplementation could be a potential option for producing high-quality, nutritionally rich, low-cost pasta with good color and functionality.