Functional ready-to-eat cereal-based snacks supplemented with food by-products

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Nutritional Science
• Sustainable Food Systems

Background:

• Growing global population and food shortages necessitate innovative, nutrient-dense food production.
• Food by-products like apple pomace (AP) and wheat bran (WB) are rich in fiber and phenolics, offering potential for nutritional enhancement.
• Extruded snacks provide a versatile food matrix for incorporating diverse ingredients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of AP and WB incorporation on the physicochemical, microstructural, functional, and antioxidant properties of extruded oat and broken rice snacks.
• To determine the optimal processing parameters for creating enhanced extruded snacks using AP and WB.
• To evaluate the potential of using food by-products for sustainable snack production.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a central composite design to optimize processing conditions.
• Varied screw speed (120-200 rpm), feed moisture (14-22%), and AP/WB ratios (25:75 to 75:25).
• Assessed physicochemical properties (expansion index, water absorption/solubility), microstructural characteristics, functional attributes, and antioxidant activity.

Main Results:

• Incorporation of AP and WB significantly improved nutritional and functional snack properties.
• Higher AP ratios enhanced functional properties but reduced expansion and cell wall thickness.
• Optimized conditions (53.39% AP, 120 rpm screw speed, 15.45% moisture) yielded superior snack quality.

Conclusions:

• Apple pomace and wheat bran effectively enhance the nutritional and antioxidant profiles of extruded snacks.
• Optimized processing parameters are crucial for maximizing the benefits of AP and WB incorporation.
• Utilizing food by-products in snack production offers a sustainable approach to reduce food waste and environmental impact.