Dados do Trabalho

Título

TECHNOLOGICAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF EXPANDED BREAKFAST CEREALS ENRICHED WITH FREEZE-DRIED JUÇARA (Euterpe edulis Martius) PULP

Introdução

Expanded breakfast cereals are starch-based extruded products that are widely distributed and consumed globally, primarily at breakfast, often accompanied by milk, serving as an essential energy source to start the day. These products acquire distinct characteristics through the incorporation of raw materials rich in fiber and bioactive compounds, aiming to enhance their nutritional profile. In line with market trends towards functional foods, this study proposed the development of a rice-based (using broken rice) breakfast cereal enriched with freeze-dried juçara (Euterpe edulis Martius) pulp (FDJP), testing proportions of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%, and determining extruded product technological properties.

Material e Métodos

The breakfast cereals were characterized for texture (in dry state), bowl-life in whole milk and soy milk (texture under consumption conditions), instrumental color, radial expansion index, and bulk density.

Resultados e Discussão

The results revealed that the addition of freeze-dried juçara pulp (FDJP) resulted in a reduction of the hardness of the cereals, possibly due to the dilution of starch and incorporation of fibers provided by the addition of juçara pulp. The enriched cereals absorbed more water from the milk under consumption conditions, proportional to the concentration of added juçara pulp, resulting in greater softening compared to the control cereal (containing only broken rice). The color intensity increased, with negative b (blue) and positive a (red) parameters increasing proportionally to the concentration of FDJP. A reduction in lightness (L parameter) was also observed, proportional to the increase in FDJP. There was a reduction in expansion and an increase in density with the progressive incorporation of FDJP, compared to the control cereal.

Conclusão

However, the results suggest that freeze-dried juçara pulp can be employed in the formulation of breakfast cereals, imparting a natural purple color to the extruded products. It is an ingredient with high potential for the development of healthy products, due to the presence of components such as fiber and anthocyanins, with possible antioxidant capacity, aligning with market trends.