Evaluation of non-extruded and extruded pecan (Carya illinoinensis) shell powder as functional ingredient in bread and wheat tortilla

Pecan shell is a source of dietary fiber and phytochemicals, both necessary in the human diet. Therefore, pecan shell powder could be used as a supplement in the preparation of food products. The present study evaluated the effect of addition of 5, 10 and 15% (w/w) pecan shell powder, non-extruded (PSN) or extruded (PSE), in the physical properties of bread and wheat tortillas. Breads and tortillas produced with the higher substitution level that did not detriment significantly their physical properties (5% in breads and 10% in tortillas) were characterized in terms of chemical composition, total phenolic content (TPC), radical scavenging activity (RSA) and in vitro viability of human-derived liver cancer cells. Breads and tortillas produced with PSE (5% and 10%, respectively) presented the highest total dietary fiber content, TPC and RSA. In addition, extracts obtained from these same treatments, reduced the viability of hepatic cancer cells up to 53%. Sensory analysis of breads and tortillas supplemented with PSN or PSE showed adequate overall acceptability by consumers. Results obtained in the present study support that the pecan shell powder can be used as functional ingredient in bakery products especially when pretreated by extrusion

Algae as a potential source of protein meat alternatives

With the rise of plant-based meat alternatives, there is a growing need for sustainable and nutritious sources of protein. Alga is a rich protein source, and initial studies show that it can be a good component in developing protein meat alternatives. However, there are certain limitations in their use as the need for efficient and optimal technical process in large-scale protein extraction and purification, as well as overcoming certain negative effects such as potentially harmful compounds, allergenicity issues, or sensorial affections, especially in color but also in textural and flavor characteristics. This review offers a vision of the fledgling research about using alga protein in the development of meat alternatives or supplementing meat products

Functional and nutritional replacement of gluten in gluten-free yeast-leavened breads by using β-conglycinin concentrate extracted from soybean flour

The search of proteins that could act as both structural agents and nutritional enhancers in gluten free bread is still a challenge for the food industry. The present study evaluated the inclusion of 10% β-conglycinin concentrate (βCC) extracted from defatted soybean flour to rice flour to improve the structure and protein quality of gluten-free yeast-leavened bread. βCC breadmaking performance was compared to vital gluten functionality. Batter pasting properties and bread characterization in terms of color, texture, image analysis, microstructure a, nd protein quality were assessed. βCC and gluten led to batters with higher peak viscosity and breakdown, although only βCC was able to increase the setback. The inclusion of 10% βCC in rice flour formulations led to breads with improved color parameters and protein quality. The texture properties of βCC breads did not present significant differences compared to vital gluten breads. The crumb analysis showed that βCC led to lower cell density with highest mean cell area. The micrographs showed that βCC was able to create a net-like structure similar to the one created by gluten, confirming that βCC is capable of acting as structuring agent and protein quality improver in gluten-free formulations.Authors acknowledge the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project AGL2014-52928-C2-1-R), Generalitat Valenciana (Project Prometeo 2017/189), the European Regional Development Fund and the joint project between research group from IATA-CSIC and the research groups of Nutriomics and CIDPRO from Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico. Johanan Espinosa-Ramírez acknowledges the support from CONACYT for the PhD scholarship (375643).Peer reviewe

Exploring the potential of arabinoxylan as structuring agent in model systems for gluten-free yeast-leavened breads

Although the beneficial effect of arabinoxylan (AX) has been recognized for breadmaking, the available information about the effect of these compounds in gluten-free systems is scarce. In the present study, maize AX was tested in gluten-free breads using a yeast-leavened lean formulation based on rice flour and corn starch and two shaping models: pans and by dropping dough. The effect of the AX level (0%–5%) and hydration (70%–85%) were determined. Breads produced were analyzed in texture, morphology and crumb structure. The breads from the pan shaping model did not show significant differences in the crumb hardness. Moreover, the control breads presented better springiness, cohesiveness and resilience compared to AX breads. For the breads from the dropping dough model, those containing AX had lower hardness and chewiness and higher 2D area, height, cell density and surface area compared to control breads, especially at higher AX levels. Yet, AX caused a detrimental effect in springiness, cohesiveness and resilience. The hydration affected the hardness, 2D area, height, cell density and mean cell area in breads containing AX, finding better results in breads with 80% water absorption. This research demonstrated that even when AX are capable to improve the hardness and crumb structure of gluten-free breads, they could cause a detrimental effect in other textural characteristics.This work was support by the Spanish Ministry of Science (Project RTI2018-095919-B-C21), Generalitat Valenciana (Project Prometeo, 2017/189), the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) and the joint project between research group from IATA-CSIC and the research group of Nutriomics from Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico. Johanan Espinosa-Ramírez acknowledges the support from CONACyT for the PhD scholarship (375643).Peer reviewe

Mimicking gluten functionality with β-conglycinin concentrate: Evaluation in gluten free yeast-leavened breads

Fractionation of soy proteins has proved to produce protein concentrates with viscoelastic properties. In the present study, a β-conglycinin concentrate (βCC) obtained by a pH fractionation of soy flour was tested as structuring agent in gluten-free yeast-leavened bread model. A lean formulation with βCC and corn starch was used to produce gluten-free breads with two hydration conditions and three levels of protein (5%, 10% and 15%). Vital gluten was used to compare the functionality of βCC protein and its performance for breadmaking. Breads were characterized in moisture, color, textural parameters and image analysis. βCC presented lower hydration properties and higher emulsifying activity compared to vital gluten. Blends βCC:starch had higher water binding capacity compared to vital gluten blends. The hydration conditions tested affected the moisture, color and cell density of breads. Breads produced with βCC presented higher 2D area and height and presented higher crumb softness and cohesiveness, and did not present significant differences in springiness and resilience compared to vital gluten breads. The image analysis of crumbs showed higher cell density but lower porosity and mean cell areas in βCC breads. Thus, βCC proved to have potential as a structuring agent in gluten-free breads.Financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project AGL2014-52928-C2-1-R), Generalitat Valenciana (Project Prometeo 2017/189), the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) and the joint project between research group from IATA-CSIC and the research groups of Nutriomics and CIDPRO from Tecnologico de Monterrey. Johanan Espinosa-Ramírez acknowledges the support from CONACyT for the PhD scholarship (375643).Peer reviewe

Extrusion and solid-state fermentation with Aspergillus oryzae on the phenolic compounds and radical scavenging activity of pecan nut (Carya illinoinensis) shell

Purpose Solid-state fermentation (SSF) has been highlighted as an alternative to obtain valuable compounds using agro-industrial wastes as a substrate. The present study evaluated the impact of extrusion combined with SSF on the production of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity using pecan nut shell (PWS) as a substrate. Design/methodology/approach PWS and extruded pecan nut shell (PWSE) were fermented for 120 h at 30°C using Aspergillus oryzae (A. oryzae). Samples were withdrawn from incubator at 6 h, 12 h and then every 12 h until 120 h fermentation. PWS and PWSE samples were extracted. The total phenolic content (TPC) and radical scavenging activity (RSA) extracts were characterized from the resulting extracts. Findings The use of PWSE yielded higher A. oryzae biomass and at a higher rate after 120 h of fermentation (PWS 75.74% vs PWSE 87.50%). In general, the TPC and the RSA increased with fermentation time. However, the PWSE yielded significantly higher (p < 0.05) TPC and RSA values after SSF in comparison to the nonextruded PWS. Condensed tannins showed different trends depending on the fermented substrate. Overall, results showed that the extrusion pretreatment joint with the SSF represents a good alternative to raise the phenolic content and antiradical activity of lignocellulosic materials such as PWSs. Originality/value This study offers valuable information that may be used by the pecan walnut industry to valorize the shell coproduct as a substrate to produce functional ingredients or fungal enzymes.Peer ReviewedPostprint (updated version

Black Bean Hulls as a Byproduct of an Extraction Process to Enhance Nutraceutical and Glycemic-Related Properties of Nixtamalized Maize Tostadas

Black bean hulls (BBH) are rich in phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins, which can be incorporated into common staple foods such as maize tostadas, enhancing the nutraceutical properties of these products. This study incorporates black bean hulls to produce nixtamalized maize tostadas with nutraceutical properties. Nixtamalized corn flour (NCF) and black bean hulls (BBH) were characterized in terms of protein, fat, crude and dietary fiber, anthocyanin concentration, and different starch fractions. NCF and BBH depicted 53.7 and 16.8% of total digestible starch (TDS), respectively, and 1.2 and 7.6% of resistant starch (RS), in the same order. BBH was incorporated into nixtamalized flour at 10, 15, and 20% w/w, and the resulting dough was thermo-mechanically characterized. Tostadas with BBH had higher protein, dietary fiber, and anthocyanin concentrations. Enriched tostadas did not show significant changes in texture or other sensory characteristics. However, a reduction in total digestible starch (61.97 up to 59.07%), an increase in resistant starch (0.46 to 2.3% from control tostadas to 20% BBH tostadas), and a reduction in the predicted glycemic index (52 to 49), among other parameters, indicated that BBH is a suitable alternative for developing nutraceutical food products