Viability of peach palm by-product, Spirulina platensis, and spinach for the enrichment of dehydrated soup

Abstract

The objective of this work was to develop dehydrated soup formulations using flour from peach palm by-product (PPB), Spirulina platensis or spinach, as well as to evaluate their composition by physical, chemical, instrumental, and sensory methods. Four formulations were developed: standard, PPB flour, PPB flour and S. platensis, and PPB flour and spinach. The samples were analyzed for proximate composition, chlorophyll content, total phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, color, viscosity, water absorption, and microbiological parameters. The sensory characterization was performed by the check-all-that-apply method. The soups containing spinach or S. platensis presented the highest protein contents of 3.3 and 4.6 g 100 g-1, respectively. The soups formulated with the microalgae S. platensis showed higher contents of fibers, lipids, and antioxidants. Changes were observed in the color and viscosity of the soups. The standard dehydrated soup was characterized as shiny, creamy, with seasoning flavor and fragments, and a pale-yellow color; the formulation with spinach, as grainy, with an herb odor and flavor, seasoning fragments, and a dark-green color; and with S. platensis, with herb flavor, seasoning fragments, and a dark-green color. The developed formulations are within the microbiological standards for food established by the Brazilian legislation. The sensory analysis revealed a new market niche, and the soups containing PPB and S. platensis showed good acceptability. Peach palm flour, Spirulina platensis, and spinach are alternatives for the nutritional enrichment of dehydrated soups with high protein, ash, fiber, and antioxidant contents.

Consumer knowledge and attitudes towards microalgae as food: The case of Spain

“…Microalgae are rich in high quality proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and bioactive molecules with health promoting properties such as phycocyanin, lutein, or astaxanthin [3]. Due to the high content of nutrients and health-promoting compounds, microalgae have been evaluated in several scientific publications as innovative ingredients for the formulation of functional baked products [4,5], beverages [6,7], pasta [8,9], and other foodstuffs [10,11]. Although the number of microalgae containing food products launched into the market is increasing every year, microalgae products are not yet a common food ingredient, at least in Western cultures [12].…”

Microalgae: Bioactive Composition, Health Benefits, Safety and Prospects as Potential High-Value Ingredients for the Functional Food Industry

“…Irrespective of the improved nutritional value, the authors observed reduced sensory acceptability with increasing levels of microalgae formulation. In contrast to this study, Los et al [ 115 ] formulated a dehydrated soup with A. platensis at 15% ( w / w ), resulting in improved nutritional value (i.e., protein, fiber, chlorophyll, lipids and antioxidant capacity), with no compromise on acceptability when subjected to sensory evaluation. Based on these reports, there is a need for in-depth studies on formulation strategies that will enable effective microalgal food substitutions (i) for improved functionality and (ii) no/limited sacrifice of sensory quality.…”

Functional properties of bioactive compounds from Spirulina spp.: Current status and future trends

“…Regarding the low sensory acceptance, the authors highlight the need for further studies evaluating the amount of Spirulina that can be added to soups to improve the acceptance of formulations. Los et al (2018) Protein concentrate Spirulina platensis Spirulina proteins were extracted and concentrated to produce a protein concentrate. The green–blue concentrate showed 75.97 % of proteins and 19.44 % of carbohydrates (in dry mass).…”

“…Its application in food has proved to be quite interesting from a nutritional point of view. Some authors report an increase in the protein concentration of the formulated product after the addition of Spirulina ( Almeida et al, 2021 , da Silva et al, 2021b , Los et al, 2018 , Lucas et al, 2020 , Lucas et al, 2018 , de Oliveira et al, 2021 ). Moreover, by isolating and concentrating Spirulina proteins, Menegotto et al (2019) identified all essential amino acids in the concentrate.…”

“…The main technological properties englobe stabilizing and emulsifiers power ( Rodrigues et al, 2020 ), modifications in color and flavor ( Freitas et al, 2019 ), and increasing of shelf life ( Carvalho, Moreira, Oliveira, & Costa, 2017 ). Whereas functional characteristics are correlated to increasing of protein, lipid, mineral and bioactive content ( Almeida et al, 2021 , da Silva et al, 2021b , Los et al, 2018 , Lucas et al, 2020 , Lucas et al, 2018 , de Oliveira et al, 2021 ). However, few studies in the literature address in detail the important properties of Spirulina microalgae and their phytochemical compounds.…”