Amaranth bars enriched with fructans: acceptability and nutritional value

Amaranth bars enriched with fructans: acceptability and nutritional value. There is an increasing appeal for convenience foods with potential health benefits to the consumer. Raw materials with high nutritional value and functional properties must be used on the development of these food products. Amaranth is a gluten-free grain with high nutrition value. Inulin and oligofructose are prebiotic ingredients presenting effects as the enhancement of calcium absorption. Amaranth bars enriched with inulin and oligofructose were developed in the flavors: banana, Brazilian nuts and dried grape, coconut, peach, strawberry and wall nut. The proximate composition were determined and compared to commercial cereal bars, available in traditional (n=59), light (n=60), diet (n=8), with soy (n=10) and quinoa (n=1) categories. Amaranth bars present mean global acceptance values from 6.3 to 7.6 on a 9-point hedonic scale, nutritional advantages as compared to commercial cereal bars (caloric reduction and higher levels of dietary fiber). Although amaranth is an unknown raw material in Brazil, it shows good potential to be used in the manufacturing of ready-to-eat products. As they are gluten free, these amaranth bars are also an alternative product for celiacs, also contributing to the enhancement of calcium absorption, a problem frequently observed in these patients.

Microcapsules of a Casein Hydrolysate: Production, Characterization, and Application in Protein Bars

The aim of this work was to encapsulate a casein hydrolysate by spray drying using maltodextrins (DE 10 and 20) as wall materials and to evaluate the efficiency of the microencapsulation in attenuating the bitter taste of the hydrolysate using protein bars as the model system. Microcapsules were evaluated for morphology (SEM), particle size, hygroscopicity, solubility, thermal behavior (DSC), and bitter taste with a trained sensory panel by a paired comparison test (nonencapsulated samples vs. encapsulated samples). Bars were prepared with the addition of 3% casein hydrolysate at free or both encapsulated forms, and were then evaluated for their moisture, water activity (a(w)) and for their bitter taste by a ranking test. Microcapsules were of the matrix type, having continuous surfaces with no apparent porosity for both coatings. Both encapsulated casein hydrolysates had similar hygroscopicity, and lower values than free encapsulated hydrolysates. The degree of hydrolysis of the maltodextrin influenced only the particle size and T(g). The sensory panel considered the protein bars produced with both encapsulated materials less bitter (p < 0.05) than those produced with the free casein hydrolysates. Microencapsulation by spray drying with maltodextrin DE 10 and 20 was successful to attenuate the bitter taste and the hygroscopicity of casein hydrolysates.