MASSA FRESCA DE MACARRÃO ELABORADA COM FARINHA DE PALMA (OPUNTIA FICUS INDICA L. MILLER): ANÁLISE QUÍMICA E FUNCIONAL

Abstract

Opuntia ficus indica L. Miller palm flour is a byproduct with potential to be implemented in nutritionally poor food formulations, such as conventional pasta, however the prejudice with this cactus restrains its use to animal feeding. Considering the new trades on the production of functional foods, the present study proposed to evaluate the palm flour chemical and functional characteristics, as well as a fresh dough produced with partial replacement of wheat flour with palm flour (20%). The results evidenced composition with low lipids content (0.87%) and bioactive compounds in the palm flour, highlighting yellow flavonoids (496,02 mg.g^-1), and its presence, yet reduced, remained in the fresh dough (8.74 mg.g^-1). Therefore, the palm flour is an alternative for enrichment food products aiming to explore its nutritional and functional contribution.