Introducción: Para procesar un producto es importante tomar en cuenta las características físicas, químicas y biológicas del material a procesar.Método: La selección del material y de las herramientas usadas, para realizar el proceso es de gran importancia debido a la resistencia mecánica y química. El estudio de la reacción entre las herramientas usadas y el material procesado requiere esta información.Resultados: Los resultados indican que la semilla de calabaza de castilla (Cucúrbita ssp.), puede ser considerada como materia prima (harina) en la elaboración de productos como totopos, encontrando una mayor retención de aceite si la harina se elabora con semilla de calabaza sin descascarillar. La semilla de la calabaza contiene un 48,92% de aceite, del cual un 29% es ácido oleico y 51,9% ácido linoleico; ácidos grasos que están ampliamente reconocidos por sus beneficios a la salud.Conclusión: El alto contenido de aceite de buena calidad y la proteína de la semilla, la hacen atractiva para utilizarla en numerosos desarrollos tecnológicos. 

Castilla squash (Cucurbita moschata), pea pods (Pisum sativum) and pinto Saltillo green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) seed shells are considered organic wastes due to the lack of knowledge about their physical, nutritional and medicinal characteristics and their relevance in agroindustrial production. The consumption of functional, synthetic and semi-synthetic products increases worldwide, as does the need for research on non-traditional species with agroindustrial potential. The objective of this research was to analyse the physical characteristics of Castilla squash seeds with shells, whole pods of Saltillo pinto green bean, and pea pods, and to transform them into flours to identify their potential use in Agroindustry 4.0. Pea pods showed the greatest width (11.17 mm) and thickness (9.19 mm), the greatest length was found in green bean pods (125.18 mm), while squash seeds showed the lowest values in these three variables. The squash seed flour presented higher internal friction (0.98) and higher external friction on wood (1.32) as did the pea pod flour (1.33) also on wood. In contrast, the mean values of strain percentage by hardness, recovery after work and specimen length showed no statistical difference (p > 0.05) between the masses. These flours meet the specifications of the Mexican standard for wheat flour; therefore, they can be used in blends to fortify products or in the manufacture of industrial machines for processing the raw material.

Resumen IntroducciónPruebas de balance de energía permiten redirigir los insumos desde las etapas de producción de un cultivo, e igualmente, precesar la cantidad de energía utilizada para cada proceso y así, verificar la eficiencia al transformar la energía contenida en el cultivo cuando debe cumplir con una función deseada. MétodoLa planta de higuerilla (Ricinus communis L.) con propósitos de cultivo energético fue sembrada en campo y sometida a procesos de mantenimiento del cultivo y en la cosecha, la planta completa fue colectada para análisis energético, donde cada una de sus partes incluidas las semillas fueron evaluadas en función de su contenido de energía. Así, para determinar el balance de energía; los valores de la energía biológica de la planta fueron comparados con la energía aplicada en cada uno de los procesos técnicos y físicos para la producción del cultivo y en su procesamiento. ResultadosLa energía aplicada para producir el cultivo resulta un 28% superior a la energía a obtener de la planta. Asimismo, la biomasa de la planta completa de higuerilla, sin contar las semillas genera el doble de energía comparado con el aceite de las semillas, por lo que, conviene utilizar toda la planta en términos de energía. ConclusiónEs recomendable utilizar el aceite de las seillas como biomaterial, ya que el balance es positivo en un 15%. Abstract IntroductionEnergy balance trial allows to carefully allocating any inputs for field production of the crop as well as, dosing precisely the amount of energy required for each process, thus determining the efficiency when energy transformation inside the crop is required for a certain task. MethodCastor oil plant (Ricinus communis L.) as an energetic crop was field drillet and cultural practices were undertaken for crop growth and at harvest, the whole plant was collected where each constituent was tested for its energy concentration. Thus, to reach for an energy balance calculation; bilological energy figures from higuerilla plant were compared with technical and physical energy application for crop cultivation and processing. ResultsEntire energy applied for crop growth is 28% higher that energy obtained from higuerilla plant.Also, biomass of whole castor oil plant except seeds generates twice energy than oil from seeds, so whole crop harvesting has to be promoted. ConclusionOil from sedes should de used as biomaterial, since there is a positive balance by 15%.

Objective: To determine the proximal and mineral composition analysis of of castilla squash seeds (C. moschata), green pea (P. sativum) and pinto saltillo green bean (P. vulgaris). Design/methodology/approach: The contents of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, crude fiber, protein, and ash) and micronutrients (minerals) of the evaluated species were determined using the AOAC standard procedures, and the quantification of minerals was performed by mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma. A variance analysis and means comparison were performed with Tukey’s test (α = 0.05). Results: The squash seeds with shells contain 291,500 ppm of protein, 417,000 ppm of fat, 66,700 ppm of carbohydrates, 134,000 ppm of crude fiber, 972,319.678 ppm of phosphorus, 3,380.09158 ppm of potassium and 3,183.2744 ppm of magnesium. The whole pea pod has 230,600 ppm of protein, 17,200 ppm of fat, 456,000 ppm of carbohydrates, 220,800 ppm of crude fiber, 5,438.18,991 ppm of phosphorus, 7,349.23753 ppm of potassium and 1,719.56882 ppm of magnesium. The whole green bean pods had a content of protein (185100 ppm), fat (2540 ppm), carbohydrates (377500 ppm), fiber (208000 ppm), phosphorus (6068.44661 ppm), potassium (15626.9991 ppm) and magnesium (17222.16567 ppm)). Study limitations/implications: Studies on the chemical characteristics of other agroindustrial residues should be carried out. Findings/conclusions: The foods analyzed have adequate characteristics to satisfy the demands with respect to some macronutrients and micronutrients. They can optimize the availability of nutrients in the generation of natural or synthetic foods that can change the future.

Objective: To verify the physical attributes and assess the chemical quality from prickly pear’s seeds (Opuntia albicarpa Seheinvar cv. Villanueva), including seeds´ size, internal friction, external friction, performance for size reduction, sieving and electric conductivity, soluble protein, total protein, phosphorous, carbohydrates, amount of oil and minerals. Design/methodology/approach: To verify and compare the physical attributes and chemical parameters using proved and reliable techniques, to explore their impacts on its future potential, when seeds are intended to agro-industrial processes, considering; its size and quality of space storage and their effect when interacting with handling apparatus and the material they are manufactured with. Results: Selected groups of 100 seeds from four consecutive prickly pears harvests had no differences. While for their chemical analysis, seeds were milled and their revised chemical compounds showed differences between harvest, therefore, drought, management and crop protection significantly affect those attributes. The factors were not included in this study. Limitations on study/implications: Prickly pears are harvested for 4 months per year. This reduces the availability of raw material from other varieties and from other regions, to expand this study and to compare between diverse parameters. Findings/conclusions: There were not significant differences in seed size (wide, large, thickness), external friction and electric conductivity; therefore, handling equipment does not need specifications. While, for the internal friction and all chemical compounds analyzed from seeds´ flour, significate differences were quantified. The latter means that, it is adequate to homogenize these parameters by using other compounds in the agrifood processes.