Dados do Trabalho

Título

TECHNOFUNCTIONAL POTENTIAL OF NORTHEASTERN WHOLE FAVA BEAN FLOURS: A NUTRITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE

Introdução

Legumes are economical, healthy, and sustainable sources for transitioning
from animal-based to plant-based products. The fava bean (Vicia faba L.) stands out due
to its nutritional and functional richness.

Material e Métodos

This study aimed to analyze the proximate
composition (moisture, ash, lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates), pH, titratable acidity,
instrumental color, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, and water
solubility index (WSI) to evaluate the technological and functional properties of whole
flours from three fava bean varieties (Calipto (FFC), Cearense (FFCE), and Raio de Sol
(FFRS)) from the Northeast region, to provide information for their application in the
food industry.

Resultados e Discussão

The analyses revealed that the moisture, ash, lipids, protein content, pH,
and titratable acidity did not significantly differ among the studied varieties. The flours
exhibited low lipid content (1.65±0.05%, 1.42±0.07%, and 1.50±0.15%) and high protein
content (19.52±0.34%, 17.87±0.28%, and 17.99±0.94%), indicating their potential as
nutrient sources. In terms of carbohydrates, the values ranged from 62.09±0.03% to
64.67±0.01%, highlighting their high dietary fiber content. Regarding instrumental color,
the flours showed a light tone with dull saturation and yellow/orange hue. The color
difference analysis (ΔE*) revealed that the color variation between the flours was barely
perceptible (0.97), except for some combinations that showed more pronounced
differences (FFC and FFCE: 1.59, FFRS and FFCE: 2.56). Regarding water and oil
absorption properties, no significant differences were observed among the fava bean
varieties, with mean values of 3.44±0.03 and 2.40±0.03 g of gel/g of sample, respectively.
However, there were statistically significant differences in the water solubility index. The
FFC variety showed an index of 24.5%, while the FFCE and FFRS varieties recorded
27.3% and 27.9%, respectively (dry weight).

Conclusão

The results indicate that fava bean flours possess properties that can influence the texture of final products, depending on the specific application. Additionally, these flours prove to be promising as healthy and nutritious options due to their nutritional profile and technological properties. Thus, their functional characteristics are essential for optimizing their applications in the food industry.