The physical-chemical, thermal and rheological properties of starches isolated from four commercial potato cultivars (Colparina, Huayro, Canchan and Yungay) were evaluated and characterized. The starches presented ovoid and spherical shapes, with average size from 20.08 ± 2.48 to 25.33 ± 6.54 μm and B-type granules, with amylose content from 15.49 ± 2.02 to 32.10 ± 0.14% and relative crystallinity, between 34.6 and 37.3%. The rheological properties measured using a dynamic rheometer, showed predominance storage module (G’) on the loss module (G’’) during the frequency range (0.01 - 3.20 Hz) studied, which would classify them as weak gels. The starches presented low syneresis, high clarity, pasting temperature from 65.70 ± 0.31 °C to 67.70 ± 0.23 °C, gelatinization start temperature (To); peak temperature (Tp); gelatinization final temperature (Tf) and gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) values between 57.90 ± 0.24 and 62.23 ± 0.17 °C; 61.18 ± 0.01 and 64.85 ± 0.01 °C; 65.5 ± 0.31 and 68.34 ± 0.29 °C; 11.49 ± 0.8 and 15.43 ± 0.51 J/g, respectively. The starches evaluated had suitable properties to be used as ingredients in specific foods to improve their textural characteristics.

An agroindustrial by-product (cactus pear peel) and whole grains flour (brown rice and amaranth) were used to present a gluten-free snack proposal. The effect of 5% (F1), 7% (F2), and 10% (F3) substitution of brown-rice flour for yellow cactus pear peel powder (Opuntia ficus-indica) on the snack physical, sensorial, and nutritional properties was evaluated. In addition, 20% of amaranth flour (Amaranthus caudatus) was used for all formulations. As the percentage of substitution increased, the a⁎ value increased, while the L⁎ decreased. The control snacks presented higher hardness, while the snacks with 10% substitution presented a greater crispness. The sensorial properties (overall liking, colour, crispness, and oiliness) reported that the samples containing cactus pear peel powder were the most accepted. The fat content decreased as the substitution percentage increased. The F3 formulation presented the best physical and sensorial properties and when compared with other commercial snack brands, it presented low fat and an adequate protein and fibre content. Therefore, snacks based on brown rice, amaranth, and cactus pear by-product could be considered as a good option of gluten-free product, contributing to reducing the lack of gluten-free products on the markets.

Pre-treatment by Acidification and Freezing on Corncob Polymers and its Enzymatic Hydrolysis

Application of Weibull analysis and artificial neural networks to predict the useful life of the vacuum packed soft cheese

The aim of this research was to estimate sensory shelf life of "huacariz" and "cefop" mantecoso cheese, vacuum packaging: "cefop" and packaging to the atmospheric pressure: "huacariz"; brands marketed in Cajamarca, using accelerated shelf life testing. For this purpose, "huacariz" cheese was stored at 20, 28, 35 y 40 °C, while it was set at 20, 28, 35 °C storage for "cefop" cheese, performing acceptability sensory tests according to time storage with both 41 consumers constants. The results from sensory analysis were analyzed by software R for survival analysis statistics applied to sensory shelf life of foods. For this, Weibull distribution was applied and allowed to know shape (β) and scale (α) parameters, just being β value necessary to know the reliability of the raw data. The accelerated storage at temperatures close to 35 ºC yielded values of β < 2, for both cheeses, by the sensory way these samples had variability of consumer acceptability and swift rejection by altering the structure of the cheese which started to flow. Activation energy (Ea) was evaluated for both mantecoso cheeses: atmosphere packaging ("huacariz") and vacuum packaging ("cefop"), getting an Ea value 14.26 ± 3.25 kcal/mol and 22.61 ± 5.92 kcal/mol corresponding to "huacariz" and "cefop" mantecoso cheese, respectively. Sensory shelf life of "huacariz" and "cefop" mantecoso cheese at 10 °C storage was about 7.6 and 41.7 days, respectively.

The consumption of vegetables with the greatest nutraceutical potential, especially those with high levels of antioxidants such as anthocyanin and phenolic compounds, has become popular among health conscious consumers. The aim of this research was to determine the nutraceutical potential of sirimbache fruits (Gaultheria glomerata (Cav.) Sleumer). Characterization of the berries resulted in the following: 11.4 °Brix, 3.25 pH, 0.35% acidity, 83.74% moisture, 0.16% ash, monomeric anthocyanins (112.88 mg cyanidin 3-glucoside / 100 g of sample), total phenolic compounds (344.37 mg of gallic acid / 100 g of sample) and vitamin C (13.87 mg ascorbic acid/ 100 g of sample). These values indicate that sirimbache is a nutraceutical food of great interest. Therefore, the expansion of sirimbache to health conscious markets may be feasible. Such expansion is of great importance for rural agribusiness, as it could promote the development of new agroindustrial projects in the province of Celendin and other Andean areas of Peru.