The bakery industry demands freshness, healthfulness, and natural ingredients, in order to satisfy increasingly informed consumers. The fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are carbohydrates which have shown to be beneficial for health as they stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria in the human colon, eliminate putrefying pathogens, regulate metabolic activities, stimulate immune functions, and improve the bio-availability of nutrients. Artichoke (Cynara scolymus, L.) has a high content in a FOS called inulin. The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential use of globe artichoke leaf and stem meal, as a source of fiber in wheat bread. Different bread formulations have been investigated, with the addition of a 3, 6, 9, and 12% of the ingredient. Several parameters were measured as color, specific volume, texture (hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness, and resilience) and moisture. A sensory evaluation was also performed to determine the overall acceptability and the texture characteristics of each formulation. The results showed that the incorporation of the artichoke fiber modified significantly the bread textural properties for the formulations above 9%. Breads with artichoke fiber presented higher fiber content, and were considered acceptable by the sensory panel, indicating that this ingredient is adequate for its use as a fiber source in bread.

Coloured model juices with extracts from several species of commonly consumed vegetables rich in anthocyanins (eggplant peel, strawberry, grape, bilberry, red raspberry and plum peel) were studied in detail. The model juices prepared at pH 4.5 were stored in darkness for 17 weeks at 20°C. The kinetics of anthocyanin degradation, colour and stability of the antioxidant capacity were measured during storage. The anthocyanins were determined identifying delphinidins, cyanidins, petunidins, pelargonidins, peonidins and malvidins. The extraction yields ranged from 2.3% to 13.3%. The level of anthocyanins in the model juices prepared with the extracts ranged between 4 and 158 mg L -1 . The results showed a good correlation between the anthocyanin concentration and the time of storage, with determination coefficients varying from R 2 = 0.9470 to R 2 = 0.9855. The eggplant peel, grape and plum peel anthocyanins showed the highest halflife and D values that were higher than those of 12 and 17 weeks, respectively. The antioxidant capacity showed a high stability during the time of storage for all the model juices, showing the eggplant peel model juice the highest values.

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Yoghurt with 9% (v/v) of plum juice concentrate (PJC) was stored for 24 days in darkness at 6 °C. Titratable acidity and pH were similar in all samples during storage. The firmness was in the range of 1.7–2.3 N and correlated with total solids of the mixes (R2 = 0.982). The sample with PJC and 5.33% (w/v) nonfat dry milk had the highest firmness and the weakest creaminess. The colour in PJC yoghurt was stable during the first seven days of storage. In the ranking test for acceptability, there were no significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between the yoghurts.

In this study, the effect of the particle-size fractionation (Ø < 0.212 mm and 0.212 mm < Ø < 0.991 mm) and chlorophyll extraction on the nutritional and technological properties of the powdered artichoke ingredient was evaluated. The contents of minerals, protein, fat, carbohydrates and dietary fibre together with the content in bioactive compounds such as inulin and phenolics were determined. Other properties such as water-and oil-holding capacities, water activity and antioxidant capacity were measured. The ingredient with chlorophyll and the lowest particle size presented the highest phenolic content and antioxidant capacity (8.4 mg of vitamin C equivalents per 100 g of dry matter) and water-and oil-holding capacities. The removal of chlorophyll increased the oil-holding capacity (from 59.7% to 94.6%), which was much higher than in the coarse ingredient (34%), but has a deleterious effect reducing the antioxidant capacity and the inulin content. The ingredients also showed high dietary fibre (22.5-33%), inulin (9-16%) and mineral (7.5-7.8%) contents. Although the ingredient with chlorophyll and smaller particle size had the higher antioxidant capacity, the removal of chlorophyll improved the technological properties to be used as food ingredient without affecting significantly to the nutritional value.