Use of Red Cactus Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) Encapsulated Powder to Pigment Extruded Cereal

Encapsulated powder of the red cactus pear is a potential natural dye for the food industry and a known antioxidant. Although the use of this powder is possible, it is not clear how it alters food properties, thus ensuing commercial acceptability. The aim of thisstudywastoevaluatetheeffectofencapsulatedpowderoftheredcactuspearonthephysicochemicalpropertiesofextruded cereals. The powder was mixed (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5% w/w) with maize grits and extruded (mix moisture 22%, temperature 100∘C, and screw speed 325rpm). The physical, chemical, and sensory characteristics of the extruded cereal were evaluated; extruded cerealwithoutencapsulatedpowderwasusedasacontrol.Allcerealextrudatespigmentedwiththeencapsulatedpowdershowed statisticallysignificantdifferences

Pinole, un alimento tradicional mexicano con valor nutrimental

El pinole es un alimento de origen prehispánico que se obtiene principalmente a partir del tostado de los granos enteros de maíz y su posterior molienda. Este polvo de maíz tostado puede ser adicionado con diferentes ingredientes que le confieren distintas características de sabor y aroma, así como propiedades nutricionales, fisicoquímicas, entre otras. El pinole, el cual se consume comúnmente como bebida ya sea en frío o caliente como atole, formó parte importante del desarrollo de diferentes culturas mesoamericana. Hoy en día es conocido como un alimento tradicional mexicano que se ha adaptado a las diferentes necesidades y costumbres de diferentes regiones de México. El consumo de este producto ha ido disminuyendo por su relación con la temporalidad y alto contenido energético, sin embargo, es importante resaltar que estos productos presentan contenidos importantes de fibra dietética y diferentes compuestos bioactivos. Sin considerar, que la adición de nuevos ingredientes altos en proteínas o antioxidantes en la reformulación de este producto, generan alternativas novedosas y atractivas de consumo para la población. El presente reporte tiene como objetivo brindar información del pinole, desde sus orígenes, manera de preparación e ingredientes, características y sus diferentes propiedades, y los efectos del procesamiento para su obtención (tostado del maíz), que son importantes para conocer más sobre este alimento tradicional mexicano. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54167/tecnociencia.v16i1.89

Effect of Extrusion Cooking on Bioactive Compounds in Encapsulated Red Cactus Pear Powder

Red cactus pear has significant antioxidant activity and potential as a colorant in food, due to the presence of betalains. However, the betalains are highly thermolabile, and their application in thermal process, as extrusion cooking, should be evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of extrusion conditions on the chemical components of red cactus pear encapsulated powder. Cornstarch and encapsulated powder (2.5% w/w) were mixed and processed by extrusion at different barrel temperatures (80, 100, 120, 140 °C) and screw speeds (225, 275, 325 rpm) using a twin-screw extruder. Mean residence time (trm), color (L*, a*, b*), antioxidant activity, total polyphenol, betacyanin, and betaxanthin contents were determined on extrudates, and pigment degradation reaction rate constants (k) and activation energies (Ea) were calculated. Increases in barrel temperature and screw speed decreased the trm, and this was associated with better retentions of antioxidant activity, total polyphenol, betalain contents. The betacyanins k values ranged the −0.0188 to −0.0206/s and for betaxanthins ranged of −0.0122 to −0.0167/s, while Ea values were 1.5888 to 6.1815 kJ/mol, respectively. The bioactive compounds retention suggests that encapsulated powder can be used as pigments and to provide antioxidant properties to extruded products

Physicochemical properties of frozen tortillas from nixtamalized maize flours enriched with β-glucans

AbstractEffects of different β-glucan concentrations in maize flour on the properties of frozen maize tortillas were evaluated. Masa (dough), pre-cooked (PTs), frozen (FTs), thawed (TTs), and cooked tortillas (CTs) were made and analyzed. Moisture content of masa and tortillas significantly decreased as β-glucan concentration increased; however, the water absorption capacity (WAC), ice melting enthalpy, and frozen water in FTs increased. Texture and color of the masa, PTs, and CTs as well as sensory analysis showed differences only between tortillas with 0% and 4% β-glucans. β-glucans did not affect the texture of CTs. Soluble fiber increased by over threefold and fivefold in tortillas with 2% and 4% β-glucans, respectively, than in those without β-glucans. This result was consistent with the observed structural changes in tortillas, showing an increase in high-fiber aggregates with increasing β-glucan concentration. Tortillas with 2% β-glucans showed acceptable physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties, but over three times the soluble fiber. Therefore, it is possible to obtain frozen tortillas with high fiber content and increase their shelf life for subsequent cooking while maintaining good properties

Effects of UV-C Irradiation and Thermal Processing on the Microbial and Physicochemical Properties of Agave tequilana Weber var. azul Extracts at Various pH Values

The effects of UV-C irradiation (at doses of 8.16, 10.93, 16.17, and 33.29 mJ/cm2) on the physicochemical and microbiological properties of Agave tequilana Weber extracts at various pH values (4.5, 5.5, and 6.5) were evaluated. Thermal treatment (TT) was used as a control (85 °C for 30 s). Both processed (UV-C or TT) and unprocessed (UP) extracts were investigated. The UV-C dose and the pH significantly (p < 0.05) affected the inactivation of total coliforms (TC), total aerobic mesophiles (TAM), and yeasts and molds (YM). UV-C doses of 10.93 mJ/cm2 at pH 4.5 and 33.29 mJ/cm2 at any agave extract pH completely inactivated the native microbial load compared to TT. The total polyphenols (TP), antioxidant activity (AA), and sugar content did not change in the agave extracts at any dose, but the total flavonoid (TF) content decreased at doses > 16.17 mJ/cm2 at the evaluated pH values. Although the color of the agave extracts (L*, a*, and b*) was significantly affected, the total color difference (∆E) did not change after processing compared to the ∆E in the UP extracts. TT further reduced all the physicochemical properties of the agave extracts compared to UV-C processing. The results suggest that UV-C continuous flow technology can be used to stabilize agave extracts at doses of 10.93 mJ/cm2 and pH 4.5, while preserving their functional properties

Effects of the Addition of Flaxseed and Amaranth on the Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Instant-Extruded Products

The addition of flaxseed and amaranth on the physicochemical, functional, and microstructural changes of instant-extruded products was evaluated. Six mixtures with different proportions of amaranth (18.7−33.1%), flaxseed (6.6−9.3%), maize grits (55.6−67.3%) and minor ingredients (4.7%) were extruded in a twin-screw extruder. Insoluble and soluble fiber contents in extrudates increased as the proportions of amaranth and flaxseed increased. However, the highest flaxseed proportion had the highest soluble fiber content (1.9%). Extruded products with the highest proportion of flaxseed and amaranth resulted in the highest dietary fiber content and hardness values (5.2 N), which was correlated with the microstructural analysis where the crystallinity increased, resulting in larger, and more compact laminar structure. The extruded products with the highest maize grits proportion had the highest viscosity, expansion, and water absorption indexes, and the lowest water solubility index values. The mixtures with amaranth (18.7−22.9%), flaxseed (8.6−9.3%), and maize grits (63.8−67.3%) resulted in extruded products with acceptable physicochemical and functional properties