Development of a snack from xoconostle (Opuntia matudae Scheinvar) sweetened with neotame and its antioxidant capacity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56890/jpacd.v16i.68Keywords:
dehydration, non-caloric sweeteners, sensorial evaluation, total phenolic, freeze dryingAbstract
The xoconostle (Opuntia matudae Scheinvar) is a sour fruit, of which the peel is consumed. It is perishable, but it has a beneficial effect on human health, as recognized popularly in Mexico. The objective of this study was to create a snack of dried xoconostle using neotame, an artificial non-caloric sweetener, to improve flavor. We present (a) a partial chemical characterization of the fruit (total phenolic content (TP) and antioxidant activity (AA)), (b) dehydration techniques (heating by convection and freeze-drying), and (c) sensorial characterization of the final product. The experimental unit was 40 g of fresh xoconostle peel with three replications. The sweetener did not affect dehydration time of convective heat. The sweetened lyophilized xoconostle had lower TP and AA than unsweetened xoconostle. The sensorial analysis showed that lyophilized xoconostle sweetened with neotame (aqueous solution 32 mg L-1) has acceptable flavor and appearance.