ENHANCING NUTRITIONAL VALUE IN PROCESSED FOODS WITH CITRUS WASTE-DERIVED DIETARY FIBER
Abstract:
Citrus fruits, a commercially cultivated fruit group, are rich in phytochemicals and bioactive compounds known for their health-promoting properties. Nevertheless, the processing of citrus fruits generates approximately half of the fruit as waste, comprising peel, pulp, seeds, pith, and more, which is typically discarded, leading to environmental pollution. The modern prevalence of diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, and stroke is often attributed to the consumption of unhealthy “junk” foods. Incorporating citrus waste dietary fiber into these “junk” foods could offer potential health benefits and aid in disease prevention. This study focused on fortifying various “junk” foods with different percentages of citrus waste dietary fiber, including cakes and doughnuts (15% as a wheat flour and fat substitute), ice-cream (2% as an adjunct), and sausages (10% as a wheat flour and fat substitute). The products underwent evaluation for their nutritional composition, color, microbial contamination, and sensory acceptability, with unfortified products serving as controls. The citrus waste dietary fiber powder produced demonstrated promising antioxidant and functional properties. The fortified “junk” foods exhibited reduced moisture content (20.66%, 19.62%, 60.83%, and 54.00%) compared to their respective control samples (23.47%, 20.93%, 63.99%, and 57.50%). Conversely, the crude fiber content (0.66%, 1.04%, 1.14%, and 0.68%) was higher in the fortified products compared to the control samples (0.08%, 0.29%, 0.32%, and 0.61%). This increase can be attributed to the additional citrus waste dietary fiber powder, which may enhance the shelf life of the fortified products and improve their nutritional value, thereby offering potential health benefits. The fortified products received positive ratings from panelists, and lab color evaluations revealed no significant differences compared to the control samples. Additionally, the levels of total viable bacteria and total viable fungi (ranging from 7.0×101 to 1.2×104 CFU/ml and 2.0×101 to 2.0×103 CFU/ml, respectively) fell within acceptable standards for safe food products. In conclusion, incorporating citrus waste dietary fiber into “junk” foods effectively enhances their nutritional value, particularly through increased dietary fiber content, suggesting the potential for added health benefits.
ENHANCING NUTRITIONAL VALUE IN PROCESSED FOODS WITH CITRUS WASTE-DERIVED DIETARY FIBER. GET MORE FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS