Abstract
The study aimed to determine the textural, sensory, and antioxidant properties of gels composed of maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) berries. These freeze-dried berries were tested in a powdered form as an additive (0–5%) to agave sugar (20%) gels. Freeze-dried maqui powdered berries were dark purple to almost black in color and were characterized by an L* value of 16.3, an a* value of 8.3, and a b* value of −9.6. The b* values decreased from 11.8 to 2.3 with the increase in the amount of berry powder. There were no significant changes in the color of gels composed of berries at 4% and 5% concentration. Gels lost (almost twice) their hardness as the amount of maqui increased. The lowest values of hardness and the highest values of elasticity, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness were observed at 4% concentration of dried berries. The type of sugar did not affect the lightness of the gels (L* parameter) and the a* value. The assessors evaluated the gels composed of agave sugar (20%) and 4% maqui and 0.5% citric acid to be the best. Phenolic content and antioxidant activity were significantly higher in these gels compared to the control gels. After obtaining this low sugar gels, consumers could enrich their diets with healthier products.
Highlights
IntroductionThe awareness of maintaining a healthy lifestyle has greatly increased
In recent years, the awareness of maintaining a healthy lifestyle has greatly increased
Due to the lack of research on the properties of gels composed of maqui berries with the addition of agave sugar, this work aimed to determine the textural, sensory, and antioxidant properties of these innovative gels
Summary
The awareness of maintaining a healthy lifestyle has greatly increased. Consumers are paying more attention to the products they reach for, as additives used in food production have a detrimental effect on human health. Food producers are required to meet the demands of consumers to enable them to follow a healthy lifestyle [1,2]. Over the past 10 years, there is a significant increase in interest in berries and their potential health benefits. Their phenolic components and expected health benefits have been recently studied in detail [4]. The plant produces small edible purple-black berries measuring about
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