Extruded chickpea flour sequentially treated with alcalase and α‐amylase produces dry instant beverage powders with enhanced yield and nutritional properties

Abstract

SummaryInstant beverage powders were obtained by sequential alcalase and α‐amylase catalysis of raw or extruded chickpea flours. Chemical composition, solid yield and nutritional properties in terms of oligosaccharides, fatty acids and protein quality were determined. The beverage powder produced with extruded flour (ECF‐S) had adequate protein (20%), hydrolysed starch (48%) and fat (4%) contents. The instant powder yield of ECF‐S was 64% being 2.2 times higher compared with the counterpart obtained from the raw flour (RCF‐S). ECF‐S had higher oligosaccharides compared with RCF‐S, and an oil composition with high proportion of linoleic and oleic acids. In addition, it had an in vitro protein digestibility of 83.1% and protein digestibility‐corrected amino acid score of 0.831. Unflavoured beverages produced with ECF‐S presented improved suspension stability. Hence, thermo‐extrusion followed by biocatalysis with alcalase and α‐amylase proved to be an adequate method to generate higher yields of instant soluble powders suitable for plant‐based consumers, with high nutritional profile. The insoluble coproduct could be valorised into a functional ingredient due to its protein (21%) and hydrolysed starch (16%).