Consumers and the food industry are demanding healthier products. Expanded snacks with a high nutritional value were developed from different rice, pea and carob flour blends. The proximate composition, starch (total and resistant), amylose and amylopectin, dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble) contents, and the in vitro protein digestibility of different rice-legume formulations, were evaluated before and after the extrusion process. Compared with the corresponding non-extruded blends (control), the extrusion treatment did not change the total protein content, however, it reduced the soluble protein (61-86%), the fat (69-92%) and the resistant starch contents (100%). The total starch content of all studied blends increased (2-19%) after extrusion. The processing increased the in vitro protein digestibility, reaching values around 88-95% after extrusion. Total dietary fiber was reduced around 30%, and the insoluble fraction was affected to a larger extent than the soluble fraction by the extrusion process. Because of its balanced nutritional composition, high dietary fiber content, as well as low energy density, these novel gluten-free snack-like foods could be considered as functional foods and a healthier alternative to commercially available gluten-containing or gluten-free and low nutritional value snacks.

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Generally, extruded gluten-free foods are mostly phytochemically deficient. In this study inositol phosphates, α-galactosides, lectins, protease inhibitors, and phenols, their antioxidant activity and sensorial analysis of some rice/bean/whole carob fruit flour blends were determined in unprocessed (controls) and extruded formulations. The fortification of rice-based extrudates with both legumes has a positive influence on both their bioactive compound content and their acceptability by consumers. The extruded formulations contained around twice as much (p < 0.05) total α-galactosides than their unprocessed counterparts. Extrusion significantly reduced the phytic acid content (10%) and significantly increased the less phosphorylated forms (16%–70%). After extrusion, the lectins and protease inhibitors were eliminated. The different phenolic compounds mostly increased (11%–36%), notably in the formulations with carob fruit. The antioxidant activity and the different groups of phenols showed a positive correlation in the extrudates. All the experimental extrudates had higher amounts of bioactive compounds than the commercial extruded rice. Considering the amount of phytochemicals determined in the novel gluten-free extrudates and the scores of sensorial analysis, formulations containing 20%–40% bean and 5% carob fruit could be adequate in promoting health-related functions, helping to increase pulse consumption, and allowing the food industry to satisfy consumers’ requirement for functional foods.

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