Development of bioresidue apple flour with potential application in the food industry

Food loss and residues have attracted the attention of many sectors around the world due to negative environmental and economic effects. Several studies identify this bioresidue with potential to be explored and used as natural ingredients, benefiting environment and economy, and producing functionalized products. This study aimed at the nutritional, chemical and bioactive evaluation of flours obtained from apples discarded as bioresidue due to their low caliber or non-standard format. The nutritional evaluation of the flour highlighted an interesting protein and ash content. Three free sugars were identified in the analyzed flour, with fructose being the main sugar and five organic acids, with malic acid being the most prevalent. Regarding fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids predominated, with oleic and linoleic acids being the major components. Seven phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS, divided into three different families: phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, and dihydrochalcone, with phenolic acids predominating, which may justify the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential evidenced by the flour. After characterization, flour was incorporated into two types of bread and the effect of this incorporation over the shelf life was evaluated. Overall, the nutritional and chemical composition of the apple flour obtained in this study makes it a viable alternative for application in the bakery and pastry industry, thus creating alternative products and health promoters for the consumer. Additionally, the reuse of apple bioresidue will allow the recovery of waste discarded annually without added value, in addition to contributing to a positive impact on the economy and the environment.

Palavras-chave

Apple flour Bioactivities Bioresidue Bread Circular economy

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10198/36030

Citação

Aichouche, Chaimaa; Pereira, Eliana; Carocho, Márcio; Dias, Maria Inês; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Heleno, Sandrina A.; Fernandes, Filipa Alexandra; Pires, Tânia C. S. P.; Ferreira, Elizabete; Celeja, Cristina; Barros, Lillian (2026) Development of bioresidue apple flour with potential application in the food industry. Measurement: Food. ISSN 2772-2759. p. 1-12