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Abstract
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) has interesting nutritional and technological properties and is naturally gluten-free (GF). This study investigated the physicochemical properties of okra powder obtained by a low-temperature drying process and its impact on GF bread. Its potential synergy with other hydrocolloids (i.e., hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and Psyllium fibre (Psy)) was also studied. As the importance of powder particle size in food design is well known, whole okra powder (WOP; ≤ 1000 µm) and fine okra powder (FOP; ≤ 250 µm) were produced. Compared to the standard formulation, WOP and FOP doughs required less water to reach the desired dough consistency (200 ± 20 Brabender unit) and generally showed higher stability during mixing. Dough development was affected by HPMC more than okra powder particle size. Breads containing WOP or FOP in combination with HPMC exhibited high specific volume and soft texture, while the combination with Psy resulted in a less-developed, harder and darker bread. The combination with HPMC also guaranteed a longer shelf-life, regardless of okra powder particle size. These results may prove useful for the agri-food industry, as they demonstrate that okra can be used as an innovative natural hydrocolloid.
Highlights
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) is a plant belonging to the Malvaceae family and is native to tropical and subtropical countries, but in recent years has spread to other areas, such as central and southern Italy
FO had a value of 16.26 ± 0.03 g/100 g db, and this is in agreement with Petropoulos et al (2018) who stated that okra pods were very rich in protein compared to other fresh vegetables suggesting that okra pods could serve as a good source of protein in human diet
Even if whole okra powder (WOP) had smaller surface areas it showed significantly higher water binding capacity (WBC) than fine okra powder (FOP) (Table 2); this can be explained by the fact that most of the tissues found in living plants are irregular in terms of composition and resistance to fracture (Xu et al, 2020); after drying and milling, the different fractions collected might differ due to the varying proportions of the tissue parts
Summary
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) is a plant belonging to the Malvaceae family and is native to tropical and subtropical countries, but in recent years has spread to other areas, such as central and southern Italy. The ripe fruit looks like an elongated green pod (for this reason it is known as “ladies’ fingers”) with violet shades, which can change with the variety of the plant. Dipartimento Di Scienze Per Gli Alimenti, La Nutrizione E L’Ambiente, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via G. 2‐20133 Milano, Italy compounds, polyphenols, unsaturated fatty acids, essential amino acids, antioxidants, antimicrobials and few antinutritional compounds (Gemede et al, 2016); okra is sometimes used for cardiovascular, kidney and cerebral protection as well as antitumoural, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiulcerous, antibacterial, antidiabetic and anticholesterolemic purposes; okra is efficient against asthenia and fatigue (Durazzo et al, 2019). Okra is listed in the “Herbs for Voice Database” as one of the plants traditionally used for voice care, throat affections and respiratory impairments (Calcinoni et al, 2020)
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