Nutritional, anti-nutritional and technological functionality of flour from Libidibia ferrea

Abstract

The purpose was to develop new ingredients for the food industry. The flours were obtained from the bark and the fruit of juca (Libidibia ferrea) by grinding and drying in an air circulation greenhouse. The flours were analyzed in terms of nutritional, anti-nutritional, antioxidant, and technological functionality propriety. The flours developed are rich in carbohydrates with values ranging from 89.29 g/100g for the fruit and 81.76 g/100g for the bark. Flours showed low water and fat absorption index, high compacted and real density, and intermediate flow values by the Hausner’s ratio and Carr’s index. The hygroscopicity of the flours ranged from 5.56 g/100g for the bark and 10.31 g/100g for the fruit, influencing the solubility property. The anti-nutritional compounds do not discourage the technological application of flours since studies indicate the action of tannic and phytic acids as antioxidants. The flour shows high total phenolic compound and antioxidant activity in vitro (DPPH and FRAP methods), due to the flavonoids compounds as catechin and myricetin identified by HPLC method. Therefore, fruit flour is the best one when compared to the botanical parts, and indicated as an ingredient to improve sensory characteristics such as crispness, increased sensation, and retention of food flavor.

Keywords

• antioxidant
• carbohydrate source
• crispy food
• new ingredient
• water absorption