Spizzirri Umile Gianfranco, Esposito Luigi, Caputo Paolino, Martuscelli Maria, Gaglianò Martina, Clodoveo Maria Lisa, De Luca Giuseppina, Rossi Cesare Oliverio, Savastano Marco, Scarcelli Eva, Loizzo Monica Rosa, Restuccia Donatella, Aiello Francesca
Ionian Department of Law, Economics and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 74123, Taranto, Italy.
Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100, Teramo, Italy.
Heliyon. 2024 Sep 25;10(19):e38354. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38354. eCollection 2024 Oct 15.
The rising demand for healthier alternatives to traditional sugary products has driven the exploration of natural substitutes for sucrose. This study aimed to investigate carob pulp flour (CPF) as a viable alternative to sucrose in the production of high-value jellies with enhanced health benefits. Carob pulp flour was spectroscopically characterized, revealing the presence of bioactive molecules, such as natural antidiabetic polyols and polyphenols. Colorimetric tests demonstrated a significant concentration of polyphenolic molecules in CPF, with a remarkable scavenging activity against radical species in both organic and aqueous environments. Jellies based on CPF (CGC) were successfully prepared and exhibited strong antioxidant activity against ABTS (IC 0.158 mg mL) and DPPH (IC 0.175 mg mL) radicals, maintaining their properties over 15 days, unlike the sucrose-based control, which showed no antioxidant activity. The CPF-enhanced jellies consistently demonstrated higher G' values (in the range 20-35 °C) than the sucrose-based jellies, indicating improved consistency, elasticity, and strong gel properties, even at higher temperatures. Sensory analysis revealed significant differences, with CPF-based jellies displaying enhanced chocolate (2.3 ± 1.0), ripe fruit (2.3 ± 1.8), and caramel odors (2.0 ± 0.9), as well as increased bitterness and astringency, reduced sweetness, and improved texture. Additionally, CPF-based jellies exhibited significant hypoglycemic properties, with dose-dependent inhibitory effects on α-amylase (57.7 %) and α-glucosidase (50.3 %), and a moderate lipase inhibitory effect (48.6 %) at the maximum concentrations tested. The findings of this study highlight the potential of CPF as a functional ingredient in the food industry, offering a healthier alternative to sucrose in jelly production. The inclusion of CPF not only enhances the antioxidant and sensory properties of jellies but also contributes to significant hypoglycemic effects, making it a promising candidate for the development of functional foods with added health benefits.
对传统含糖产品更健康替代品的需求不断增加，推动了对蔗糖天然替代品的探索。本研究旨在调查角豆果肉粉（CPF）作为蔗糖的可行替代品，用于生产具有更高健康益处的高价值果冻。对角豆果肉粉进行了光谱表征，揭示了生物活性分子的存在，如天然抗糖尿病多元醇和多酚。比色测试表明CPF中多酚分子浓度显著，在有机和水性环境中对自由基具有显著的清除活性。成功制备了基于CPF的果冻（CGC），其对ABTS（IC 0.158 mg/mL）和DPPH（IC 0.175 mg/mL）自由基表现出强大的抗氧化活性，与基于蔗糖的对照不同，后者没有抗氧化活性，且基于CPF的果冻在15天内保持其特性。在20 - 35°C范围内，基于CPF的果冻始终显示出比基于蔗糖的果冻更高的G'值，表明即使在较高温度下，其稠度、弹性和凝胶特性也有所改善。感官分析显示出显著差异，基于CPF的果冻表现出增强的巧克力味（2.3±1.0）、成熟水果味（2.3±1.8）和焦糖味（2.0±0.9），以及苦味和涩味增加、甜味降低和质地改善。此外，基于CPF的果冻表现出显著的降血糖特性，在测试的最大浓度下，对α -淀粉酶（57.7%）和α -葡萄糖苷酶（50.3%）具有剂量依赖性抑制作用，对脂肪酶有中等抑制作用（48.6%）。本研究结果突出了CPF作为食品工业中功能性成分的潜力，在果冻生产中为蔗糖提供了更健康的替代品。CPF的加入不仅增强了果冻的抗氧化和感官特性，还带来了显著的降血糖效果，使其成为开发具有额外健康益处的功能性食品的有前途的候选者。
