Germination is a simple and cost-effective technology that enhances the technological, sensory, and nutritional potential of grains, making them more attractive for use in the food industry. Germinating indigenous seeds is an alternative to increase noticeability and add value to these grains, which hold social and economic significance in the regions where they are cultivated, such as creole purple pericarp corn (PPCC) from the Couto Magalhães de Minas region in Brazil. This study aimed to optimize the germination parameters of time (24–96 h) and temperature (18–32 °C) for PPCC to produce water-soluble extracts and bread. Endogenous enzymes resulting from the germination process significantly enhanced (p < 0.10) the technological (total reducing sugars, total soluble solids, and soluble proteins) and biological properties (γ-aminobutyric acid, total soluble phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity) of the water-soluble extracts. The optimum point for obtaining the extracts was found to be at 85.3 h at 30.46 °C (with desirability of 90.42%), and this was statistically validated. The incorporation of germinated PPCC flours into bread was also promising (p < 0.10) and had a positive impact on the dough property (dough volume increase) and the final product, especially in terms of instrumental texture (springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, and resilience), resulting in a softer texture (lower firmness and hardness). The addition of PPCC flours did not alter instrumental color parameters, which may lead to greater consumer acceptance due to imperceptible differences in color to untrained individuals, with the optimized point at 96 h at 29.34 °C, with a desirability of 92.60%. Therefore, germinated PPCC shows promise for use as a base for obtaining water-soluble extracts and in bread as a replacement for commercial flour improvers, while also adding value to a raw material that is part of the local culture and agrobiodiversity.

The consumption of plant-based beverages has been driven by nutritional appeals and as health promoters for individuals with dietary restrictions related to cow's milk or due to ethical, philosophical and environmental factors and lifestyle choices.

Bread stands out for its versatility and accessibility, appealing to individuals across various ages and social classes. Consequently, it presents an attractive opportunity for incorporating ingredients that offer health benefits to consumers. In this context, the current study aimed to evaluate the technological properties of sandwich bread (specific volume, water activity, moisture, instrumental color, and texture) prepared with a partial substitution (5% w/w) of wheat flour (WF) with purple corn cob flour (PCF) (F1), along with the addition of hemicellulolytic enzymes of fungal (F2) and bacterial (F3) origin. The enzymatic action had a positive impact (P < 0.05) on the specific volume of the samples (F2: 4.17 ± 0.16 cm³/g and F3: 4.52 ± 0.02 cm³/g) compared to the standard (3.78 ± 0.07 cm³/g), which was reflected in the instrumental texture parameters. Parameters such as firmness, hardness, gumminess, and grittiness were less pronounced in the samples with enzyme addition compared to the control. The samples did not differ statistically regarding water activity and instrumental color parameters (a* and b*). However, enzymatic action reduced the crumb's brightness (L*) in both cases, which was attributed to the release of reducing sugars. The values of color variance (ΔE) were less than 5, indicating that untrained individuals cannot differentiate between the sample's colors. Thus, the incorporation of hemicellulolytic enzymes in sandwich bread with partial substitution of WF by PCF improves the technological properties of the finished product, adding value to an agro-industrial co-product.

Fish hamburgers have significant water exudation after freezing and thawing, accompanied by grilling. The application of white dietary fibers, due to high hydration capacity and without dramatically changing the product's color, may overcome unwanted effects of the application of fish meat in hamburgers. So, this study aimed to incorporate mixed resistant starch, carboxymethylcellulose and white wheat fiber in fish hamburgers and evaluate the final product's technical performance. The study was conducted by a Simplex-Centroid Mixture Design, and the dependent variables were assessed through the Response Surface Methodology (P < 0.10 and R² > 0.75). The optimal point was achieved by the combination of dietary fibers in the proportion of mixed resistant starch (1.10 %), carboxymethylcellulose (2.92 %) and white wheat fiber (0.64 %), with desirability of 84.19 %. By comparing the results obtained for the optimized point and the standard sample, the main advantages observed were the 24.17 % increase in water retention capacity, a 52.05 % decrease in cooking weight loss and an instrumental texture with values better in technological performance. In this way, the hamburgers were softer and more succulent, without significant changes in water activity. In addition, the optimal point presented lighter colors and more oversized reddish and yellowish shades. Therefore, adding dietary fibers with an adequate balance between soluble and insoluble fractions resulted in satisfactory technological performance in fish hamburgers.

The growing demand for environmental sustainability and functional foods has driven the development of new products and food ingredients derived from alternative, cost-effective sources. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of partially replacing wheat flour with corncob flour (CF) at levels of 0% (control), 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% on the physicochemical and technological properties of both the dough (pH, specific gravity, and texture) and the muffins (pH, specific volume, water activity, moisture, total titratable acidity, instrumental color, texture, and proximate composition). The high fiber content of CF significantly influenced (p < 0.05) the technological properties of the dough, increasing rigidity and reducing specific gravity. In the final product, CF incorporation decreased volume and resilience, while firmness, hardness, adhesiveness, and chewiness intensified. The formulation with a 10% CF replacement exhibited the most favorable characteristics, particularly in terms of dough apparent gravity (0.83 g/mL), specific volume (2.64 L/kg), and firmness (7.05 N). Therefore, the partial substitution of wheat flour with 10% CF appears to be a promising strategy from both technological and nutritional perspectives, mainly due to the increased dietary fiber content, while also contributing to cost reduction and the valorization of an agri-food co-product.

Germination is a viable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly biotechnological process that enhances the industrial applications of cereals. This study evaluated the impact of germination (86 hours at 30°C) on soluble solids, proximate composition, and total phenolic compounds (TPC) in water-soluble extracts. It also included imaging analyses using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), apparent amylose content, and starch pasting properties of purple pericarp Creole corn (PPCC) from Couto Magalhães de Minas, MG. Germination significantly increased the total solids content of the germinated PPCC sample to 5 times that of the control (p < 0.05). Notably, the germination process significantly reduced protein and lipid content in the water-soluble extracts by 17.72% and 34%, respectively, compared to the non-germinated sample, providing important nutritional insights. This reduction in protein and lipid content is a noteworthy finding that may be of interest to professionals in the field. Additionally, germination reduced sedimentation in the beverages by approximately eightfold compared to the control, which may be relevant to beverage technologists. SEM images revealed the action of amylolytic enzymes synthesized during germination, evidenced by pores in the starch granules, resulting in a 9.18% decrease in relative crystallinity compared to the control. However, germination did not alter the samples’ crystalline pattern or pasting temperature. However, the degradation of amylose and amylopectin led to a reduction in hot paste viscosity and final viscosity of the starch gels, consequently decreasing the viscosity of both germinated and non-germinated corn starch samples. Therefore, germination is a promising technology for producing water-soluble extracts and modifying PPCC starch, offering a means to preserve and add value to Creole corn varieties.