Affiliations: [a] Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos (CIDCA), CONICET La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 47 y 116, S/N°, La Plata (B1900AJJ), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| [b] Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agrarias, Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA), Alicia Moreau de Justo 1500, Ciudad de Buenos Aires (1107AFF), Argentina
| [c] Members of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: M.C. Lanari, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en
Criotecnología de Alimentos (CIDCA), CONICET-La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 47 y 116 S/N°, La Plata (B1900AJJ), Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tel.: +54 22 14 24 9287; E-mail: cecilialanari@gmail.com.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Yerba-mate (YM) and blackcurrant (BC) are rich in polyphenols and anthocyanins with proven health benefits therefore they could be used in functional beverage preparation. OBJECTIVE:To (a) develop a palatable powdered beverage with high physicochemical and nutritional quality using YM/BC, (b) determine the effect of in-vitro gastrointestinal digestion on antioxidant content and activity and (c) evaluate beverage’s acceptance temporal changes and dynamic profile during multiple intakes. METHODS:We determined powder’s water-activity (aw), moisture content, flowability, micro-morphology, color, cold water solubility, glass-transition temperature (Tg), total polyphenols (TP)/anthocyanins (MAC) and ascorbic-acid contents, antiradical activity (DPPH). RESULTS:Powder’s aw (0.089) ensured biochemical/microbiological stability. Tg(55.64°C) indicated that YM/BC’s vacuum-storage at 20–25 °C was possible without losing glassy state. Powder’s cold water’s solubility was 90%. 1 L (60 g/L) provided 556.8 mg TP/198.11 mg monomeric-anthocyanins. Ascorbic- acid dose was half the recommended daily intake. In-vitro gastrointestinal digestion reduced total polyphenols/monomeric-anthocyanins 59–70 %, but antiradical activity losses were 9%. Overall-acceptance and Time-Intensity curves results were in the Hedonic scale’s “Like moderately to like very much” zone. Berries/Sweet were the only dominant attributes Astringency accumulative effects not detected. CONCLUSIONS:The YM/BC powder had good physical/biochemical/microbiological stability under industrial storage conditions and high antiradical activity after simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Sensory scores suggested that consumer’s acceptance could be high.
