Produção de massa alimentícia de sorgo isenta de glúten enriquecida com dunaliella salina e subprodutos de mandioca e palmito pupunha

Abstract

Pasta is a staple in diets worldwide, but a portion of the population with gluten sensitivity cannot consume it. Sorghum and by-products from the processing of peach palm hearts and cassava can be viable alternatives for developing gluten-free products, as they are not only sources of starch but also provide fibers, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. The use of microalgae in food is interesting due to their rich chemical composition and the fact that they require fewer resources for production compared to conventional protein sources. Among them, Dunaliella salina (DS) stands out as a source of carotenoids. The objective of this study was to develop gluten-free pasta through a 23 experimental design and the incorporation of DS in the formulation with the highest fiber content. The proximate composition and levels of phenolic compounds (PC), carotenoids, and antioxidants (AA), as well as technological characteristics such as pasting properties and absorption indices for the flours, and mechanical properties and cooking characteristics for the pasta, were determined. Sorghum flour (SF) has a high starch content (73.22 g.100g-1), proteins (6.19 g.100g-1), and the highest AA and PC levels; peach palm heart flour (PPF) contains fibers (49.97 g.100g-1), sugars, and carotenoid content, while cassava flour (CF) has similar levels of starch and fibers (40%). In technological terms, PPF and CF, with higher fiber content, showed higher water absorption indices (WAI) and oil absorption indices (OAI), with CF exhibiting higher viscosity due to the characteristics of this starch source. Pasta processed with different proportions of sorghum flour (x1) (30, 45, or 60%) and peach palm heart (x2) and cassava by-products (x3) (5, 10, or 15%) was evaluated for proximate composition, functionality, and technological characteristics. Response surfaces showed that fibers, phenolic compounds, antioxidants, and solid loss in the formulations increased significantly with higher percentages of the by-product flours used. Statistical analysis indicated that all study factors had a significant effect (p≤ 0.05) on at least one of the analyzed responses. In the formulation with the highest fiber content of 24.32 g.100g-1 and bioactive compounds of 211.56 mgGAE.100g-1 (M0), 2% and 5% DS were added (M2 and M5, respectively). This enrichment resulted in an increase in protein and antioxidant content, giving the pasta an orange hue, with carotenoids increasing from 3.41 (M0) to 168 (M2) and 266 μg.g-1 (M5). The incorporation of microalgae did not result in differences in solid loss or textural profile of the pasta (p>0.05), and antioxidants by DPPH increased with the incorporation, from 0.28 (M0) to 0.68 mgTE.g-1 (M5). Microbiological analysis confirmed that the pasta was safe for consumption according to current legislation. Sensory analysis showed that the formulations were well-evaluated in terms of overall impression, appearance, color, and odor, with scores above 6 points and no difference between M0 and M2. Thus, D. salina proved to be beneficial in producing gluten-free pasta with functional potential.