Upcycling Rocha do Oeste Pear Pomace as a Sustainable Food Ingredient: Composition, Rheological Behavior and...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Food Technology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Pear pomace is a significant byproduct of the fruit processing industry.
• Valorization of food byproducts like pear pomace is crucial for sustainability.
• Yeast protein extract (YPE) offers potential for protein enrichment in food applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Rocha do Oeste pear pomace as a sustainable food ingredient.
• To characterize the chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of pear pomace.
• To assess the rheological, textural, and microstructural properties of pear pomace, with and without YPE, before and after thermal processing.

Main Methods:

• Chemical analysis for dietary fiber and phenolic compounds.
• Antioxidant capacity assays (e.g., antiradical activity).
• Rheological measurements (e.g., shear thinning behavior, apparent viscosity).
• Texture analysis and microstructural characterization (e.g., SEM).
• Thermal processing of samples.

Main Results:

• Pear pomace is rich in dietary fibers (74.5% DW) and phenolic compounds (3.9 mg chlorogenic acid equivalents/g DW).
• It exhibits significant antiradical activity (3.90 μmol Trolox equivalents/g DW).
• Pear pomace displays shear-thinning and soft-gel behavior, unaffected by YPE or thermal treatment.
• YPE addition decreased apparent viscosity and caused destabilization post-thermal processing.

Conclusions:

• Rocha do Oeste pear pomace is a valuable ingredient with high fiber and antioxidant content.
• YPE can be used for protein enrichment, though it may impact viscosity and stability.
• These findings support the exploitation of pear pomace and YPE in innovative food product development.