It has been long recognized that fruits are healthy diet compounds as they are excellent sources of health-beneficial bioactive components (polyphenols, minerals, vitamins, organic acids, etc.). The diversification of the consumer’s taste calls for an expansion of food options and novel ingredients. Puddings are a well-known food choice introduced in the human diet at a very early age because of their easy and high digestion. Four formulations with two types of starch (corn and rice) were selected as object of analysis. Nectarines were incorporated as a purée, and lyophilized powder. The nectarine variety “Gergana”, used for the preparations, is a local variety with proven beneficial properties. The study aimed at analyzing the physical (moisture, ash, color, water-holding capacity, water activity, density and syneresis), textural (firmness, gumminess, cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness), nutritional, and sensory characteristics of the nectarine-enriched puddings. The outcomes obtained from this study provided significant information about the possible application of the formulations in the children’s daily menus. All four formulations had distinct peachy aroma. The formulations prepared with nectarine purée resulted in a better sensory perception about their texture, and better water-holding capacity. At this point, the formulation prepared with lyophilized fruit and rice starch has the most promising results. Sufficient evidence leads to further exploration of the perspective of fruit-enriched puddings in order to improve their technological and health-promoting properties.
Changing nutritional demands, in combination with the global trend for snacking, sets a goal for preparing food products for direct consumption with certain beneficial properties. This study was designed to investigate the quality characteristics of raw vegan bonbons enriched with lyophilized peach powder. Three types of formulations were prepared in which 10%, 20%, and 30% of lyophilized peach powder were, respectively, added. The newly developed vegan products were characterized in terms of their physical (moisture, ash, color, water activity), microbiological, and nutritional characteristics. Their antioxidant activity, flavonoid, and phenolic content were also evaluated. Considering the content of the bonbons, the reported health claims indicate that they are sources of fiber, with no added sugar, and contain naturally occurring sugars. The color measurements demonstrated similarity in the values. This study showed that there is significant potential in the production of healthy snacks for direct consumption, with beneficial properties.
Plum–apricot hybrids are successful backcrosses of plums and apricots resulting in plumcots, pluots, and apriums. A topic search on plums, apricots, and plumcots shows that extensive information exists on the agro-morphology, genotyping, bioactive substances, and nutritive value of the genus Prunus, and plums and apricots, in particular. However, when search results for plum–apricot hybrids were evaluated for the period 2010–2023, only a few papers focused partially on the topic of their metabolomics. A database search (Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar) exposed that less than 10 articles/year appeared in Scopus on the topic of plum–apricot hybrids, 618 papers were found on Google Scholar (2010–2023), and only 2 results were found in PubMed for the same period using the same keywords. This shows the grand research opportunity and the need for providing a thorough chemical characterization of the existing plum–apricot hybrids. This review aims at schematizing the available information about plum–apricot hybrids (with reference to their parents), identifying the gaps about their bioactive compounds, antioxidant activities, and health beneficial properties, as well as pointing to future perspectives in terms of fruit hybrid characterization.
Research background. There is an increased interest of foods with added nutritional value. This study presents the opportunity for the reformulation of muffins using chia seeds and lyophilized peach powder in view of the emerging societal challenges regarding unhealthy eating patterns and food intolerances. Experimental approach. Two new formulations were developed eliminating the presence of eggs and altering the flour content and type. Physical characteristics, texture analysis, water activity, microbial load, antioxidant potential, and sensory profile aided in the evaluation of the newly developed products. Results and conclusions. The results indicate an inversely proportional relationship between the relative mass of the dough, and physical parameters (density, volume, and height) for all muffin formulations. The modification of the original recipe compared to the control sample led to decreased baking losses, increased total phenolic content, as well as enhanced nutritional value in terms of fibre content. The addition of chia seeds and peach powder led to positive sensory changes. The alteration of the original recipe resulted in significant effect on the colour, making the muffins darker and less yellow compared to the control sample. In terms of texture characteristics, the new formulations had a profile closer to the control. Novelty and scientific contribution. Recipe reformulation without deteriorating quality attributes is important to the food technology field. Reformulation should comply with the new expectations of the contemporary consumer. The study targets an approach where new products with enhanced functional characteristics are presented.
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