Desenvolvimento de tinta proteica a partir de alginato de sódio e coadjuvantes para impressão 3D de alimentos

Abstract

The market for plant-based products has been growing and with this the demand similar to meat has been studied in recent years, attention has been paid to looking for options and ways to replace this food, especially for people who need a specific diet and /or restrictive with health problems or those looking for options for foods of animal origin. Options such as foods being of plant origin with a high content of proteins and other nutrients, or legumes, plant-based foods themselves and currently 3D printing, this is becoming a reality in the food sectors and can be used to improve nutritional and sensorial appeal. Among the materials for this purpose are sodium alginate and gelatin, which are cheap and biocompatible compounds for rapid cross-linking and widely used in tissue engineering. Furthermore, spirulina, derived from seaweed, rich in proteins, vitamins and antioxidants, and chickpea flour, abundant in proteins, potassium and magnesium, form the ink used to generate the food to be printed. The objective of this work is to develop a hydrogel from sodium alginate and components such as gelatin, sodium chloride, spirulina and chickpea flour, followed by its rheological and physicochemical characterization. To analyze its efficiency, physical-chemical analyzes were carried out such as pH, humidity, proteins. The pH test is carried out by direct reading on the hydrogel and ink, these being 6.5 and 6.6. Samples were taken to the desiccator for 72 hours, weighed on an analytical balance, and water was added to find out how long it would take them to return to their original properties, which took 40 minutes. Moisture analysis resulted in 81.26 ± 0.025%. Therefore, it is concluded that in the analyzes carried out for the development of the paint, using sodium alginate with sodium chloride added to the gelatin proved to be a difference in the structuring of the hydrogel. The addition of spirulina and chickpea flour showed that the paint matrix contains macronutrients, in addition to adding nutritional value to the product.