Evaluation of rheological, bioactives and baking characteristics of mango ginger (curcuma amada) enriched soup sticks

Quality characteristics of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) based nutritious ready-to-eat extruded baked snack

The study aimed to utilize buckwheat and bread waste to develop ready to eat snack with reduced fat, enriched protein, dietary fiber and minerals. Base flour constituting of buckwheat flour (BF) and rice flour in the ratio of 90:10 was replaced with bread powder (BP) at varying levels (0-80%). The gelatinization temperature of base flour was 67 °C and it decreased with increasing amount of BF. The breaking strength of the extruded snack with varying amount of BP, fat and chilli powder were in the range between 3.46-2.04 N, 1.56-1.26 N and 1.5-1.89 N respectively. Physical and sensory analyses indicate that 40% BP, 8% fat and 1% chilli powder were optimum to obtain extruded snack with desirable characteristics. The ready to eat snack contained 10.64%, 15.33% and 7.45% of fat, protein and total dietary fiber respectively. Minerals present were 169 mg/100 g of magnesium, 46 mg/100 g of calcium, 4.5 mg/100 g of iron and 3.46 mg/100 g of zinc. Bread waste can thus be utilized in producing a healthy ready to eat snack.

Nutrient Composition and Antioxidant Performances of Bread-Making Products Enriched with Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) Leaves

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is an edible plant, well-known for its nutritional and nutraceutical properties. Stinging nettle leaves are typically rich in fibers, minerals and vitamins, as well as antioxidant compounds, i.e., polyphenols and carotenoids. Due to these reasons, since ancient times stinging nettle has been widely used in Italy as an ingredient in foods and beverages as a therapeutic agent. This work provides an investigation focused on bread enrichment with nettle leaves and the improvement of bread proximate composition in minerals, fibers and antioxidant compounds during product preparation. The comparison between plain and nettle enriched white bread shows a significant increase in fibers and nutrients, i.e., calcium and copper levels. Nettle enrichment also provides an increase in lutein and β-carotene, as well as in total phenols and antioxidant activity. These last two nutritional elements are remarkably high in enriched bread and it has been found that phenolic concentration increases during breadmaking steps, from kneading to primary dough fermentation and from secondary fermentation of shaped loaves to baking.