Textural Modification, In Vitro Digestion, and Identification of Volatile Flavor Compounds in Flavored Puffed Bean...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Sensory Analysis

Background:

• Flavored puffed bean products (FPBP) are typically made from soybean flour, sometimes with okara, using sodium carbonate and water followed by puffing.
• Existing FPBP can suffer from undesirable textural changes (e.g., hardening) and flavor degradation during storage.
• Okara, a byproduct of soy processing, presents an opportunity for nutritional and textural enhancement of bean-based snacks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of combined emulsifiers and moisture retention agents on FPBP texture.
• To evaluate the effect of incorporating okara into bean flour on the textural properties of FPBP.
• To analyze the flavor profile and stability of texture-enhanced FPBP during storage.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of FPBP using soybean flour with or without okara, incorporating emulsifiers and moisture retention agents.
• Textural analysis of FPBP to assess hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and resilience.
• In vitro simulated digestion, free amino acid determination, and flavor compound identification using HS-SPME-GC-MS.

Main Results:

• Both combined additives and okara incorporation significantly improved FPBP springiness and resilience while reducing hardness and cohesiveness.
• FPBP demonstrated a rich amino acid profile, indicating good nutritional value.
• Texture-enhancing treatments preserved key flavor compounds and inhibited flavor degradation during storage, with nine compounds identified as critical.

Conclusions:

• Emulsifiers, moisture retention agents, and okara are effective in optimizing the texture of FPBP.
• These treatments contribute to the retention of desirable flavor profiles and extend shelf-life stability.
• The findings provide a basis for improving FPBP production processes and developing novel legume-based snacks.