Fortificação de massa fresca com adição de farinha mista de mandacaru (Cereus Jamacaru) e ora-pro-nóbis (Pereskia Aculeata)

Abstract

Plant-based foods are recognized as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds, essential for maintaining health. NCFP (non-conventional food plants) can be defined as edible species that have one or more parts with food potential and with no common use. There are at least 3 thousand NCFP species with known occurrence in Brazil and around 10% of Brazil's native flora is used for food purposes. The use of cacti for human consumption is generally associated with the dryness, the desert and is often present in hunger, drought and food insecurity narratives. Among the cacti used for food purposes, mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru) and orapro-nóbis(Pereskia aculeata) stand out for their great nutritional contribution, these NCFP have in their composition vitamins, antioxidant compounds such as saturated and unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid and oleic acid, soluble and insoluble fibers, among others. Making flours increases the food's shelf, as it reduces water activity, facilitates transportation, storage and increases the variety of applications in different products. In this study, two cactus-based flours were prepared and further physical-chemical analyzes were done in order to compare the results obtained with the literature already written. The results were satisfactory when compared to previously published parameters. The flours were evaluated by the their parameters, moisture, ash, lipids, proteins, fibers and carbohydrates, at the end, the energy value of both flours was measured obtaining for mandacaru flour (C. jamacaru) 6.58±1.40 for moisture (%), 10.74±0.46 for ash (%), 16.04±1.36 for proteins (%), 0.86±0.09 for lipids (%), 58.63±2.70 for carbohydrates, 5.44±1.02 for crude fibers (%) and energy value of 205.09 ±7.84 Kcal. For orapro-nóbis (P. aculeata) flour, 2.86±0.07 moisture content (%), 15.22±0.09 for ash (%), 30.97±0.78 for proteins (%), 4.61±1.14 for lipids (%), 39.42±0.61 for carbohydrates (%), 6.30±0.89 for crude fibers (%) and energy value of 216 .16±9.28 Kcal. Furthermore, a fresh fortified spaghetti-type pasta was developed with a 4% concentration of the formulated flours. It is suggested that mandacaru and blade-apple cactus flours have potential as a functional food, as they play important roles as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, a source of vitamins as well as having have bioactive compounds, which have functional properties, those, in addition to healthy habits, give it its association with disease prevention and control, as the development of diseases such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes and dyslipidemia are associated with poor diet and unhealthy habits.