Spread developed with peanuts, baru almonds, and ora-pro-nóbis mucilage: chemical, technological, and bioactive characteristics

Abstract

The number of people changing their eating habits towards healthier foods is increasing. Among foods, peanut butter is widely consumed all around the world. However, the lipid content of peanut butter is high, which ends up being a reason for restriction for some consumers. One strategy is to replace peanuts with baru almonds, an almond native to the Brazilian Cerrado, using ora-pro-nóbis mucilage to maintain the characteristics. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop and evaluate the spread with peanuts, baru almonds, and ora-pro-nóbis mucilage. Different baru almond and ora-pro-nóbis mucilage concentrations substituted the peanut concentration on the spread. Chemical, physical, technological, bioactive, and storage characteristics were evaluated. Spread with the highest amount of ora-pro-nóbis mucilage (0.2 g/100 g of butter) showed a 16% increase in protein content. The mineral profile was improved in the formulations developed compared with spreads. The firmness of the spread did not show a significant difference from the peanut-based control formulation. Furthermore, antioxidant activity was higher in a developed spread. During storage, up to 30 days, most formulations maintained their initial pH and acidity, with changes in color parameters. Spread showed great nutritional value, being an interesting food alternative to improve diet quality.