Elaboração de snacks com cladódios de facheiro (Pilosocereus pachycladus) e palma forrageira (Opuntia ficus-indica)

Abstract

Cacti are unconventional food plants (PANC’s) and have great potential for applications in the food industry, in the development of new products, such as in the preparation of savory snacks. This work aims to use cladodes of fresh cacti as the main ingredient for preparing savory snacks. Preliminary tests were performed and the replacement of 60% of flour by the freshly crushed cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica (OF) and Pilosocereus pachycladus (PP) was standardized, in the same way, that the additional ingredients were defined and without chemical preservatives. Three snack formulations were prepared: two made with cladodes of the OF species, one being added wheat flour (OSWF) and another gluten-free OSRF that received rice flour; and the third formulation using cladodes of the PP species added with wheat flour (PSWF). The OF and PP cladodes had a high moisture content (> 90%), from 2 to 3% of carbohydrates and very low levels of proteins, ashes, and lipids, however sufficient to confer technological and functional properties in food products. The PP species showed a tannin content twice higher than OF, and the low phytic acid content was verified in both. The use of fresh crushed OF and PP cladodes as main ingredients in the formulation of Snacks contributed to expanding the variety of minerals, especially of Snacks formulated with the OF species as it has higher mineral content. Snacks showed the presence of saturated (34, 49-35,89%) and unsaturated (40,62– 43,32%), fatty acids, revealing similar profiles with a predominance of linoleic acid, followed by oleic and palmitic acids. The three snack formulations had a high content of carbohydrates and starch, followed by lipids, proteins and ashes, and average caloric value of 464.24 Kcal. During the shelf-life assessment, the cactus snacks showed a color tending to light yellow, the statistically darker the sample (OSWF), and less red the formulation that used PP cladode and wheat flour (PSWF). The low water activity (0.60) during storage contributes to microbiological control. The gluten-free snacks, formulated with OF and rice flour, maintained its initial crispness until the end of storage (90 days). Thus, this study reveals that the fresh cactus cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica and Pilosocereus pachycladus, species native to the Semi-arid region of Paraiba, are promising as alternative ingredients to replace commercial flours to be used in the preparation of snacks and bakery products. We conclude that cactus snacks can be an alternative for consumers looking for healthier and preservative-free foods, with the gluten-free option. Further research is suggested with cactus mucilages in the preparation of meat, dairy and bakery products, stimulating the exploitation of these unconventional food species devalued.