Development of food enriched with carotenoids from arazá as a strategy for valorizing Amazonian fruits

Currently, the growing demand for products that contribute to health coincides with an upward trend towards the valorization of various Amazonian fruits, such as arazá (Eugenia stipitata), recognized for its high content of bioactive compounds. In this context, the present research focuses on highlighting the carotenoid content of arazá to incorporate them into the formulation of a functional muffin. The study addressed the integral physicochemical characterization of the fruit and the evaluation of two water removal technologies (lyophilization and refractive window drying) and the state of ripeness (ripe and overripe) to identify the conditions that would allow the greatest conservation of carotenoid compounds. Subsequently, muffins were formulated with different percentages of incorporation of arazá powder (0-0.75%, w/w), the characteristics of the arazá powder and the attributes of the arazá powder were studied. Properties of texture, rheology, color, and a sensory panel were developed and the bioaccessibility of the carotenoid compounds was analyzed through an in vitro digestion process, the packaging was designed and the theoretical proximal analysis of the formulation preferred by the sensory panel was carried out. The results revealed that the powder obtained from freeze-dried overripe fruits exhibited the highest concentration of carotenoids (497.55 (6.53) μg β-Carotene/g). About the muffins, it was observed that the increase in the proportion of the arazá powder content in the formulation produced an increase in the viscosity, firmness, consistency, and cohesiveness of the dough and a decrease in the elasticity of the muffin. Additionally, the sensory analysis indicated a clear preference for the formulation with 0.75% w/w of arazá powder, highlighting it as an excellent source of vitamin A according to Resolution 810 of 2021 of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia. Finally, in vitro, digestion of the winning muffin reported 109.39 μg of bioaccessible β-carotenes in the muffin. In conclusion, freeze-dried arazá powder was found to be an ingredient with nutritional and acceptance properties for the development of functional products.