Fat reduction in meat products represents a technological challenge, as it affects the physicochemical and sensory properties of foods. The objective of the present investigation was to develop reduced-fat pork and chicken meatballs. In the initial stage, a survey was performed on 387 individuals, in order to determine the consumer perception of the meaning of a healthy meatball and the likelihood that they would consume such a product. In the second stage, four pork and chicken meatball formulations were developed: control meatballs (AC), meatballs with inulin (AI), meatballs with fructo-oligosaccharides (AF), and meatballs with inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (AM). In the third stage, physicochemical properties were evaluated (water activity, humidity, fat, protein, ash, weight loss, pH, color, and texture) and a sensorial profile was created with semi-trained panelists for the four meatball formulations. In the fourth stage, AI was selected as the meatball with sensorial and physicochemical characteristics most similar to AC. An analysis of nutritional characteristics and a home test (84 consumers) were performed. The present study established that the inclusion of inulin as a fat substitute in the preparation of pork and chicken meatballs, in the amount of 3.5 g of fiber/100 g of the mixture, imitates the technological properties characteristic of fat and showed acceptance by consumers.

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) has a diversity of bioactive compounds with recognized antioxidant effects. However, obtaining these compounds presents challenges related to extraction, which must be economical, fast and with high efficiency. In the present study, the performance of microwave irradiation was evaluated to recover extracts with a high content of polyphenols, flavonoids, and an effective antioxidant activity from a mixture of papaya peel and pulp. The factors solid:solvent ratio, microwave power, and ethanol-water mixture were evaluated. The results showed that the maximum content of bioactive compounds was reached after 3 minutes of extraction with the optimum conditions of 340W for power, 23.34% for mixture ethanol:water and 80.60 for solid:solvent ratio. The optimal extract presented a concentration of 1186.39 ± 44.49 mg GAE/100gFW for polyphenols and 43.88 ± 6.94 mg CE/100gFW for flavonoids and antioxidant activity of 3920.48 ± 31.97 mol TE/100gFW, values higher than those reported by other authors. It is confirmed that the application of microwaves in the process of extraction of bioactive compounds reduces time, costs and is efficient to obtain extracts of papaya with an effective antioxidant activity. La papaya (Carica papaya L.) posee diversidad de compuestos bioactivos con reconocidos efectos antioxidantes. Sin embargo, la obtención de esos compuestos, presenta desafíos relacionados con la extracción, la cual debe ser económica, rápida y con alta eficiencia. En el presente estudio se evaluó el desempeño de las microondas en la obtención de extractos con un alto contenido de polifenoles, flavonoides y con una actividad antioxidante efectiva, a partir de una mezcla de epicarpio–pulpa de papaya. Se evaluaron los factores relación sólido:solvente, potencia de las microondas, y mezcla etanol-agua. Los resultados permitieron establecer que el contenido máximo de compuestos bioactivos se alcanzó a los 3 minutos de extracción con las condiciones óptimas de 340W para potencia, 23,34% para la mezcla etanol: agua y 80,60 para la relación sólido:solvente. El extracto óptimo presentó una concentración de 1186,39 ± 44,49 mg GAE/100gFW para polifenoles y 43,88 ± 6,94 mg CE/100gFW para flavonoides y una actividad antioxidante de 3920,48 ± 31,97 mol TE/100gFW, valores mayores a los reportados por otros autores. Se confirma que la aplicación de microondas en el proceso de extracción de compuestos bioactivos reduce tiempo, costos y es eficiente para obtener extractos de papaya con una actividad antioxidante efectiva.

Manufactured egg powders can be formulated to produce food products that vary in their properties. The present study aims to determine the effect of egg white content on the physicochemical characteristics and on the functionality and nutritional value of dried whole egg (WE), egg white (W), and an egg yolk/white mixture in a 1:3 ratio (M1:3). These fresh egg products were spray-dried using sucrose—an agent recognized for its effect of protecting the protein in the egg during the drying process. Experiments were conducted in a laboratory-scale spray dryer, operated under controlled conditions, with an air inlet temperature of 120 °C. In the dried products, water activity, water solubility index, color, and pH were affected significantly as a function of the fresh egg component ratio and the added sucrose. The wettability and dispersibility in water of egg powder were improved when sucrose was added to the WE. The water-holding capacity was highest in dried egg white, and higher in the M1:3 mixture without sucrose added than in the WE with 5% sucrose. The results suggest that modifying the ratio of fresh egg yolk to egg white could lend some control over the protein and fat contents of dried egg products and over their functional properties.