CajuNutriMeat: um alimento funcional isento de glúten como alternativa para dieta humana

Abstract

The biotechnological development of new food products consists of the improvement of processes and methods in which natural resources are employed. In this sense, the vegetable Anacardium occidentale Linn stands out. (Anacardiaceae), popularly known as cashew tree which holds great agronomic value. In Brazil, these products have great agronomic value and are significantly important for the agricultural sector. The main objective of the present work is to use the bagasse of the cashew stalk of A. occidentale supplemented with the species Pisum sativum (PS) and Manihot esculenta Crantz (ME), for the elaboration of a gluten-free biomass used in the creation of a functional food. The cashew stalk bagasse raw (codified as PC) was commercially purchased, sanitized with chlorinated solution, followed by cutting, drying in an oven with air circulation, crushing and sieving. The pea ingredient (codified as PS) was purchased commercially in its frozen form. The bromatological analyses of the dehydrated biomasses PC and PS showed, respectively: 25.3% and 35.23% of moisture; 45.8% and 48.74% of carbohydrates, 15.8% and 7.5% of fibers, 6.3% and 7.9% of proteins, 4.3% and 0.7% of lipids, 2.5% and 0.53% of ashes, 74.7% and 65.37% of total solids. The biomass PC was supplemented with pea (PS) and the resulting biomass PC:PS was utilized to prepare a hamburger so called CashewNutriMeat, aiming at a creation of a new line of gluten-free vegetarian product. Cassava (M. esculenta) was used to improve the texture and presentation of the PC:PS mixture, resulting in an appropriate biomass for the production of the CajuNutriMeat product whose nutritional analysis by varying the proportions of the standard PC:PS:ME biomass provided: providing: 33.21% to 56.32% moisture; 33.06% to 41.21% carbohydrates; 3.21% to 11.31% fiber, 1.93% to 5.56% protein; 3.34% to 6.52% lipids, 2.15% to 1.23% ash, and 43.67% to 67.01% total solids. The sensory characteristics of this new product, was carried out with 64 tasters and showed statistical acceptance in the order of 84.4%. According to the findings, the CajuNutriMeat product can be considered suitable for the production of functional food. Thus, the present research is inserted in the biotechnological food field and presents itself as an effective alternative in the development of new gluten-free functional food products.