Extruidos a base de maíz amarillo (Zea mays), quinua (Chenopodium quinoa) y hierro hemínico como estrategia para combatir la anemia

Fortifying foods with iron is a strategy for combating anemia, but it can alter the sensory and structural properties of extruded products. This study evaluated extruded formulations based on quinoa and corn fortified with heme iron (HI) and analyzed their sensory attributes, gelatinization index (GI), and microstructure, compared to a control sample without iron fortification. Significant differences were observed in aroma (p = 0.0102), color (p < 0.001), and appearance (p < 0.001) between the control sample (S0) and the fortified formulations, with S0 obtaining the highest sensory acceptance. However, texture (p = 0.6763) and flavor (p = 0.8754) did not show significant variations. The GI (94 ± 0.05) of the control sample was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that of the fortified samples, indicating a combined effect of fortification and the composition of the cereal and pseudocereal on starch gelatinization. SEM micrographs revealed an amorphous and cohesive matrix, indicative of starch gelatinization during extrusion. Although exploratory, the results suggest that HI fortification can improve the nutritional profile of extrudates, while primarily affecting sensory acceptance in terms of aroma, color, and appearance, highlighting the need to adjust the formulation and extrusion to balance nutritional value and sensory acceptability.