Valorization of Beetroot By-Products for Producing Value-Added Third Generation Snacks

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Nutritional Science
• Sustainable Agriculture

Background:

• Global food waste is a significant environmental and economic issue, necessitating innovative solutions for agri-food byproduct valorization.
• Third-generation (3G) snacks represent an opportunity to transform food industry byproducts into value-added food products.
• Beetroot byproducts, rich in bioactive compounds, are underutilized and present potential for incorporation into novel food matrices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the utilization of beetroot byproducts in the development of third-generation (3G) snacks.
• To optimize snack formulations based on corn grits, focusing on water and beetroot byproduct content.
• To evaluate the impact of these components on snack expansion kinetics, physical properties, and bioactive compound retention.

Main Methods:

• Snack formulations were developed using a corn grits base with varying water and beetroot byproduct content.
• Indirect extrusion followed by microwave-assisted heat expansion was employed for snack production.
• Expansion kinetics, texture (hardness, crunchiness), color, extrusion parameters, and bioactive compounds (betalains, phenols) were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Microwave expansion kinetics indicated that higher water content required longer expansion times.
• Snack formulations with 25% water content exhibited optimal expansion, increased crunchiness, and reduced hardness.
• Incorporation of beetroot byproduct (10%) significantly increased the antioxidant capacity of the 3G snacks due to betalain and phenol content.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully developed value-added 3G snacks using beetroot byproducts, demonstrating a viable method for food waste valorization.
• Optimal formulation involves 25% water content and 10% beetroot byproduct in a corn grits base for desirable textural and functional properties.
• These beetroot-enriched 3G snacks offer enhanced nutritional value and antioxidant capacity, contributing to healthier and more sustainable food options.