Utilization of different by-products to produce nutritionally rich gelled products

Yellow corn cooking water with yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) extract, obtained as a by-product of snack manufacture, was combined with whey protein concentrate (7 g/100 g), flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) flour (2 g/100 g), and honey (8 g/100 g) to obtain different gelled products. The effect of the composition on the physicochemical parameters was analyzed. Flaxseed flour was added directly or with a previous pre-heating, and, in both cases, it increased the solid behavior of gels. On the contrary, honey increased the gel liquid-like behavior, and both ingredients modified the color of the gels. Elastic and loss modulus decreased after storage for 7 and 14 days. Some of the textural parameters also changed during storage. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis revealed three groups of formulations according to their composition, and those samples containing only flaxseed flour were best described with the textural and rheological parameters. Yerba mate extract, mainly, flaxseed flour, and honey increased the phenolic composition of gels but decreased the sensory acceptability, despite the sweetness of honey. A variety of gelled products with different textures and flavors was obtained using by-products of the food industry. These gels could be used either for dessert formulations or as a matrix for gelled products.