Enriquecimento nutricional de macarrão com ervilha e ora-pro-nóbis e seu impacto na qualidade tecnológica

Abstract

Pasta is a popular, low-cost, easy-to-prepare, and highly acceptable food. However, its predominant carbohydrate content has encouraged the inclusion of other vegetables, such as ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata) - OPN, and cereals, such as peas and oats, in its formulation for nutritional enrichment in proteins, fibers, and minerals. This study aimed to enrich the nutritional profile of dry pasta with peas and oats (control - F-C) and evaluate the influence of the addition of ora-pro-nobis at different concentrations (F-1: 4.8% and F-2: 9.1%), with emphasis on drying at 45 °C, physicochemical properties, and centesimal composition. After drying, the control formulation (F-C) reached a moisture content of 0.5859 g water ∙ g-1 dry solids in 4 h, 0.5570 g water ∙ g-1 dry solids and 0.5181 g water ∙ g-1 dry solids for F1- and F-2 in 7 h 30 min. The final moisture content of the samples (F-C: 12.05%, F-1: 9.58%, and F-2: 9.43%) was within the range established by legislation (13%). The addition of 9.1% OPN significantly increased hygroscopicity (7.07%) compared to samples F-C (4.37%) and F-1 (4.56%). Water activity did not differ significantly between samples (mean 0.566). In the texture profile, F-1 presented greater hardness both in the raw and cooked states, and the adhesiveness of the pasta increased after cooking. The instrumental color showed that adding OPN in F-1 and F-2 only significantly changed the control's color. The acidity index ranged from 1.44% to 4.13%, whose percentage decreased as the OPN concentration increased. The ash contents (1.95 to 3.28%) increased according to the degree of OPN incorporation. Crude fiber was significantly higher in F-2 (2.31%). The highest protein content was observed in sample F-2 (18.19%), followed by F-1 (17.66%) and F-C (16.03%), classifying the pasta as a "protein source" and labeled as "high protein content," according to the legislation. The percentage of lipids and carbohydrates was not affected by the addition of OPN. The cooking time of the pasta was significantly longer for F-1. In contrast, the water absorption index and cooking loss did not reveal statistical differences between the formulations (less than 6%), indicating good quality. Given the above, it was possible to observe that the use of peas and oats in the pasta and the addition of OPN contributed to the nutritional enrichment of the pasta, presenting promising results regarding the physicochemical properties and protein, fiber, and mineral profiles.