Novel strategies for capturing health‐protective mango phytochemicals in shelf‐stable food matrices

Abstract

Stunting, the result of chronic nutritional deficiencies, afflicts an estimated 180 million children under the age of 5. It is exacerbated when local diets rely on easily preserved dietary staples largely devoid of protein and phytoactive compounds from fruits and vegetables. Simple cost‐effective methods are presented for concentrating nutritional mango (Mangifera indica L.) compounds in shelf‐stable food matrices, adapted for rural village use in Zambia. Taking advantage of the solubility of carotenoids in oils, and the affinity of medium‐polarity phytoactive compounds to proteins, pureed mango was complexed with sunflower oil and either defatted soy flour (DSF) or medium roasted peanut flour (MPN). After complexation, ~97% carotenoids from one cup mango puree were captured in 25 mL of sunflower oil. DSF and MPN captured ~1 mg/g polyphenols, while sugars were discarded in an aqueous layer. An alternative process involved co‐drying mango puree with whole grain soy flour or MPN. Polyphenols, carotenoids, and natural sugars were stably bound in the protein‐rich flour matrices. Both strategies require minimal instrumentation, are compatible with rural village dietary practices; and capture the benefits of otherwise perishable seasonal resources combining healthful proteins with phytoactive compounds that do not exist together in nature. Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.