Chia seeds present with an excellent nutrient profile, including polyunsaturated fat, protein, fibre and bioactive compounds, which make them a potential food or ingredient to bring beneficial health effects. However, their tough structure could mean that these seeds remain hardly disrupted during digestion, thus preventing the release and digestibility of nutrients. In the present study, different chia products (seeds, whole flour, partially defatted flour and sprouts) were assessed in terms of proteolysis, lipolysis, calcium and polyphenols bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity. In vitro digestions were performed supporting standard intestinal (pH 7, bile salts concentration 10 mM) and altered (pH 6, bile salts concentration 1 mM) conditions. The altered conditions significantly reduced lipolysis, but not proteolysis. Regarding the food matrix, compared to the chia seeds, whole and partially defatted flour increased the hydrolysis of lipids and protein, relating to reduced particle size. Sprouting had an enhancing effect on proteolysis but prevented lipolysis. Calcium bioaccessibility dropped in all the samples in the two intestinal conditions. The digestion process led to increased polyphenols bioaccessibility in all the structures, but reduced antioxidant activity except in the milled structures. In conclusion, milling should be applied to chia seeds prior to consumption in cases where enhancing the potential uptake of macro and micronutrients is targeted, and sprouting is suitable to enhance protein digestibility and reduce lipolysis.

Tofu is obtained by heating soymilk, to which a coagulant, such as calcium sulfate or magnesium chloride, is added to make it curdle. This study aimed to parameterize the effects of the following three alternative organic coagulant types: apple, rice, and white vinegars, used in different proportions. Six treatments were established with three concentrations (1%, 3%, and 5%), evaluating the coagulation time and curd yield. The treatments with the lowest coagulation time were analyzed for texture by TPA, color through the CIEL*a*b scale, protein content, and moisture. The results showed that the rice vinegar + 3% white vinegar (T6C3) treatment showed the lowest coagulation time (0.78 min). The 5% apple vinegar (T1C5) treatment provided the highest curd yield, averaging 23.73%. This treatment’s protein and moisture contents were 3.93% protein and 69.73% moisture, confirming that better texture characteristics are recorded in tofu at lower pH values. The TPA results showed that using apple and rice vinegars as coagulants provided a challenging, less cohesive, more adhesive, and less elastic tofu. White vinegar provided a soft, more cohesive, less adhesive, and more elastic tofu. In the color analysis, it was observed that tofu coagulated with apple vinegar showed a tendency toward a yellow color, and tofu coagulated with rice and white vinegars showed a tendency toward a white color. These findings parameterize the effects of using each type of vinegar as a coagulant. These organic coagulants provide faster coagulation times and desirable texture characteristics, thus offering a practical alternative to traditional coagulants in tofu manufacturing.

Sensory analysis is a scientific discipline with specific purposes, which measures and explores the stimuli perceived by the senses against different variants and whose results can be validated through instrumental methods. In the present study, the target was established utilizing convocation, selection, and training of a group of semi-trained judges to serve as a basis for the correlation of sensory analysis with instrumental analysis at the Agrarian University, Ecuador. The study was carried out in 2023 at the Agrarian University of Ecuador. A general call was made, where finalists were trained twice a week for one month as sensory judges in terms of hedonic scale and texture (adhesiveness, homogeneity, and viscosity) to determine different texture parameters, using as a preliminary test of capabilities, the evaluation of 3 different formulations of a dressing based on passion fruit juice and babaco. Once the treatment with the highest sensory acceptability was determined, an instrumental, microbiological, and physical-chemical analysis was conducted. The results were tabulated through an analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the Tukey 5% method with the RStudio statically data program. The research results from the call, 150 participants entered, of which 30 final panelists were determined who, through training, fulled the established requirements and, in turn, chose the second formulation of the dressing as the best treatment, which employs back extrusion test as an instrumental validation parameter, provided an overview of the relationship between sensory and instrumental analysis and its correlation. The correlation of the analyses to the texture profile evidenced the variability presented by the different treatments. Based on this, the present study emphasizes the importance of developing a comparison between sensory training with semi-trained judges and instrumental analyses, presenting a significant impact on the evaluation within the product development process. Assessing the strategic correlation of both approaches can provide a more comprehensive and balanced assessment of sensory quality, leveraging the strength of human subjectivity and the precision of instrumental measurements.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and protein profile of a vegan dressing made from flax (Linum usitatissimum), soybean (Glycine max), and lupin (Lupinus mutabilis), to promote the development of this type of vegan product with significant nutritional characteristics. For this purpose, three treatments and five repetitions of the product formulations were developed. In addition, an ANOVA study with Tukey's test at 5% significance was used to interpret the results of protein, fat, and pH. The protein values for the three proposed treatments ranged from 2.71 - 5.68 %, fat: 52.40 - 54.10 %, and pH: 4.10 - 4.37. Formulation 1 contains the highest levels of lupin flour and flaxseed meal compared to the other two formulations (Soy Beverage 22%, Lupin Flour 9%, and Flaxseed Meal 8%) stood out with the highest protein content (5.68 %), fat (54.10 %) and pH (4.37). Subsequently, the protein profile of this treatment resulting in a higher proportion of the following amino acids: glutamic acid (2.21 g), threonine (0.93 g), and aspartic acid (0.90 g). The vegan dressing's protein profile, with 5.68% total protein, highlights essential and non-essential amino acids, including Glx and Asx, derived from acid hydrolysis, showcasing the nutritional potential of lupin flour and flaxseed meal. Thus, the microbiological quality of this treatment was determined using as a reference the Sanitary Technical Standard (NTS), obtaining molds (20 CFU/g), yeasts (10 CFU/g), and total coliforms (< 10 CFU/g). These results showed the nutritional potential of dressings developed from plants and their safety, becoming an alternative to be considered in these products. The significance of these findings lies in their potential applications in the functional food and plant-based product industry. The high protein content and well-balanced amino acid composition position this dressing as an attractive alternative for consumers seeking plant-based, high-protein condiments. Moreover, the stability in pH and fat content indicates that these formulations could serve as a foundation for further innovation in vegan emulsions, improving their sensory and nutritional attributes.

El desarrollo de bebidas funcionales con beneficios potenciales para la salud ha mostrado un notable incremento debido a la creciente preferencia por productos saludables. Sin embargo, la oferta de este tipo de bebidas en el mercado sigue siendo limitada. En este contexto, el desarrollo de bebidas como la Kombucha representa una oportunidad significativa para la innovación en el sector alimentario. En esta investigación, se formularon tres tratamientos de Kombucha a partir de pulpa de jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), combinada con diferentes concentraciones de té negro y sacarosa. Además, se empleó un inóculo del 1% de hongo SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast, conocido como hongo Manchurian). La fermentación aeróbica se llevó a cabo a 25 °C durante 12 días, siguiendo parámetros establecidos para garantizar la calidad del producto final. La bebida obtenida fue evaluada sensorialmente mediante una escala hedónica con la participación de 30 panelistas no entrenados. Posteriormente, se realizaron análisis fisicoquímicos, microbiológicos, pruebas de capacidad antioxidante y recuento de microorganismos probióticos. Los resultados fueron analizados mediante un análisis de varianza de un factor (ANOVA) y la prueba de comparación múltiple de Tukey, con un nivel de significancia del 5%. El tratamiento T3, caracterizado por un mayor contenido de té negro, obtuvo la mayor aceptación sensorial. Este tratamiento presentó un pH de 2,66, un contenido alcohólico inferior al 0,05% y un contenido de azúcares totales de 38,90 g/L. Los análisis microbiológicos indicaron un recuento de 1,9 x 10¹ UFC/mL para aerobios mesófilos, un recuento inferior a 3 NMP/mL para Escherichia coli, ausencia de Salmonella en 25 mL, un recuento inferior a 1 x 10⁰ UFC/mL para Staphylococcus aureus y 1,85 x 10⁰ UFC/mL para mohos y levaduras. En cuanto a los microorganismos probióticos, se registró un recuento de 9,2 x 10⁴ UFC/mL de bacterias viables. Por otra parte, la capacidad antioxidante, medida mediante el método DPPH, reportó 17,5 mg/L de equivalentes de ácido ascórbico y 19,1 mg/L de equivalentes de ácido gálico. Estos resultados confirman que la bebida cumple con los estándares establecidos por la normativa vigente, destacando por su notable capacidad antioxidante y un bajo contenido de probióticos debido a las condiciones de acidez propias del producto.