Evaluación del contenido de fibra dietética y propiedades tecnofuncionales de la torta de coco residual para su aplicación en una premezcla para batidos

Abstract

The use of agro-industrial by-products helps reduce waste while obtaining useful ingredients for new food formulations. Residual coconut meals are of technological interest due to its dietary fiber content. However, its incorporation into food products requires prior conditioning and evaluation of its behavior in a reconstituted matrix. The raw material was conditioned through washing, disinfection, drying, milling, and sieving. Then, its proximate composition, total dietary fiber, physical, technofunctional, and technological properties were determined. Premixes with different levels of residual coconut meal inclusion were also formulated, and their viscosity, mixability, homogeneity, and sensory acceptability were evaluated. The coconut meal presented 4.81 percent moisture, 19.0 percent protein, 16.7 percent fat, 1.96 percent ash, and 44.3 percent total dietary fiber. In addition, it showed a water retention capacity of 7.05 grams per gram, swelling capacity of 5.97 milliliters per gram, solubility of 31.61 percent, and apparent viscosity of 51.27 millipascal-seconds. In the sensory evaluation, no significant differences were found among the formulations; nevertheless, formulation F2 presented a favorable trend in some of the evaluated attributes. It is concluded that conditioned residual coconut meal can be used as a functional ingredient in premixes for smoothies.