The ora-pro-nobis fruit has great potential for the food industry due to its bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. Additionally, the fruit peels, generated as waste during mucilage extraction, can be utilized in the production of flours, diversifying functional ingredients, especially in gluten-free products. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different drying techniques on the production of flours from ora-pro-nobis fruit peels and investigate their application in gluten-free cupcakes. The peels were dried in a hot-air oven (60 ºC for 72 hours) or freeze-dried (0.998 mbar at -40 ºC for 48 hours), ground, sieved, and the resulting flours were characterized in terms of physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds, color, and solvent retention capacity. Among the flours obtained, the one subjected to freeze-drying showed higher protein contents, pigment retention, and solvent retention capacity. Therefore, it was used in the production of gluten-free cupcakes, which were compared with the control formulation (wheat flour) in terms of texture and color profiles. Despite significant differences, the gluten-free cupcakes with a lower concentration of freeze-dried ora-pro-nobis peel flour exhibited textural characteristics closer to those of traditional cupcakes. On the other hand, the formulation with a higher concentration of flour presented colorimetric parameters that were more similar. It is concluded that ora-pro-nobis peel flour, especially the freeze-dried one, has great functional and nutritional potential in gluten-free products, requiring adjustments in the flour proportions in the formulations.

Mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is a fruit rich in bioactive compounds, commonly processed into juices, pulps, and wines. These processes generate by-products rich in anthocyanins, accounting for 20% to 40% of the fruit’s weight, which are often discarded. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of adding mulberry juice residue flour (MRF) to a commercial plant-based fermented beverage. The flour was obtained from ripe fruits, which were blended with water (1:1, m/v) and sieved. The retained solid residue was frozen at -80 °C and lyophilized at -40 °C under a pressure of 0.998 mbar for 48 hours. MRF was incorporated into the beverage at concentrations of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% (m/v), and the samples were evaluated for pH, soluble solids, total phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, color, and rheological behavior. The results showed that MRF addition reduced the beverage's pH, increased the concentration of soluble solids and phenolic compounds, and enhanced the anthocyanin content, especially in samples with higher MRF concentrations. Color analysis revealed a progressive darkening and an increase in reddish hue in the samples with higher MRF levels, suggesting that the flour may act as a natural dye. Furthermore, rheological analysis indicated that the beverage exhibited characteristics of a non-Newtonian pseudoplastic fluid (n<1), with increasing viscosity as MRF concentration rose. In conclusion, the addition of MRF is an effective strategy for enriching plant-based beverages, improving their bioactive properties, providing natural coloration, and contributing to sustainability by reusing fruit processing by-products.