Churros isento de glúten com adição de cajuína

Abstract

Wheat is a cereal with unique characteristics provided by the proteins that make it up, including gluten (gliadin and glutenin). It is a basic raw material for many food products such as bread, cakes and cookies. However, there are people who cannot eat wheat due to the presence of the proteins that make it up, such as those who are allergic to wheat, sensitive to gluten, or those with celiac disease, an autoimmune disease with a genetic predisposition that manifests itself with exposure to gluten in the small intestine, which can trigger a series of nutritional diseases. Therefore, the effective treatment for celiac disease is to completely eliminate foods that contain gluten in their composition. To this end, the gastronomic industry seeks to develop new recipes with other ingredients that replace wheat flour, in order to offer an inclusive eating experience with attractive sensory characteristics close to those of the recipes originally prepared. This study developed a churros formulation without wheat, using a mix of flours (corn, rice and tapioca flour), with cajuína, a Brazilian cultural heritage that represents the identity, history and memory of Brazilians, originating from the state of Piauí, as a special ingredient, giving a regional touch to the flavor of the churros. When evaluating the results of the sensory analysis, it was found that the formulation with the inclusion of cajuína (A340) achieved higher averages in all sensory attributes tested and differed statistically (p<0.05) when compared to the formulation of churros with water (A380). In the purchase intention indicator, participants showed greater interest in churros with cajuína, evidenced by the higher percentages obtained in the categories "I would probably buy" (45%) and "I would certainly buy" (27.5%). Thus, the mix of gluten-free flours associated with the inclusion of cajuína resulted in a churro dough with relevant sensory characteristics.