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The Effect of Osmotic Dehydration Conditions on the Potassium Content in Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.)
Osmotic dehydration as a process of removing water from food by immersing the raw material in a hypertonic solution is used primarily to extend the shelf life of products and as a pretreatment before further processing steps, such as drying and freezing. However, due to the bi-directional mass transfer that occurs during osmotic dehydration, the process can also be used to shape sensory properties and enrich the plant matrix with nutrients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of osmotic dehydration on the absorption of potassium by beet pulp immersed in various hypertonic solutions (sucrose, inulin, erythritol, xylitol solutions) with the addition of three chemical forms of potassium (gluconate, citrate, chloride) using variable process conditions. The study proved that osmotic dehydration is an effective way to enrich food. The highest potassium content (5779.03 mg/100 g) was found in a sample osmotically dehydrated in a 50% erythritol solution with 5.0% potassium chloride addition with a process that lasted 180 min and took place at 30 °C. The results obtained indicate the high potential of osmotic dehydration in improving the health values of food products. In addition, the antioxidant activity and proximate composition of osmotically dehydrated samples were also characterized in this study.
The Effect of Osmotic Dehydration Conditions on the Magnesium Content in Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.)
Osmotic dehydration is a process involving a two-way mass transfer, during which water and substances dissolved in it are removed from the product and, at the same time, substances dissolved in a hypertonic solution penetrate into the tissues. This process has a significant effect on, among other things, the nutritional and sensory parameters, as well as the texture and shelf life of the dehydrated product. This study analyzed the effect of osmotic dehydration of beet on magnesium content following the addition of various chemical forms of magnesium (magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, magnesium chloride) to a hypertonic solution. Magnesium was added in concentrations of 2.5 or 5.0% relative to the mass of the solution. The following compounds were used to prepare hypertonic solutions (25 and 50%): inulin, xylitol, erythritol, and sucrose. The control sample was water. A significant increase in magnesium content in the dehydrated material was confirmed. This effect was determined by many factors, among which the most important were the chemical form of magnesium, the type of osmotically active substance, magnesium concentration, and process time. The highest magnesium content was found in samples dehydrated in a 50% inulin solution with a 5.0% addition of magnesium chloride under the following conditions: 120 min/30 °C. It was also demonstrated that osmotically dehydrated samples exhibited approximately 3–5 times lower antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, and ORAC tests.
Antioxidant Activity, Probiotic Survivability, and Sensory Properties of a Phenolic-Rich Pulse Snack Bar Enriched with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
Innovative Application of Chicken Eggshell Calcium to Improve the Functional Value of Gingerbread
Food waste, such as eggshell, can be an environmental problem if it is not properly managed. One of the ways to solve this is by using the eggshell as the cheap calcium source in food products. Polish gingerbread fortified with chicken eggshell powder (ESP) calcium was developed to solve the eggshell waste problem and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This study focused on the effect of ESP addition on basic composition, sensory evaluation, and antioxidative activity of gingerbread. Two samples of gingerbread without and with 3% (w/w of wheat flour) ESP, with controlled green tea powder (4% w/w of white chocolate) were analyzed. Results of the research showed that the addition of 3% ESP significantly increased the ash and calcium content (p < 0.05) without changing the appearance, aroma, texture, taste profiles, and the hedonic score of gingerbread. The gingerbread samples were then stored for 2 months and were analyzed every month. The hedonic evaluation of the aroma of both gingerbread samples decreased significantly (p < 0.05) during storage. During 2 months of storage, the antioxidative activity of gingerbread fortified with 3% ESP was not significantly different compared to the control (p > 0.05), particularly in ABTS and ORACFL assay. The ABTS, DPPH, and ORACFL assays showed decreasing antioxidative activity during storage, which was also in accordance with decreasing total phenolic content of both gingerbread samples. In PCL assay, the lipid-soluble antioxidant activity in gingerbread with 3% ESP was significantly higher during 2 months of storage, compared to the control (p < 0.05). The developed product might be a potential alternative to improve the calcium (26% daily value (DV) recommendation per 100 g) and antioxidant intake in order to prevent calcium deficiency. Gingerbread enriched with an organic source of calcium may become an innovative product to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis in the elderly population, having potential health and economic significance, given the incidence of osteoporosis and the costs of treating this disease.