Technological and prebiotic aspects of young bamboo culm flour (Dendrocalamus latiflorus) combined with rice flour to produce healthy extruded products

Abstract

Young bamboo culm flour (YBCF) has proved to be a healthy and sustainable ingredient, due to its high fiber content and high yield of bamboo crops. The present study evaluated the effects of YBCF from Dendrocalamus latiflorus on the physicochemical, technological properties and prebiotic activity of rice-based extrudates aiming to expand its application. The extrudates were produced in a twin-screw extruder with different RF:YBCF concentrations (100:0; 95:5, 90:10, and 85:15 %). During the process, the specific mechanical energy increased as YBCF content increased because of the high shear favored by YBCF particles. With increasing RF replacement by YBCF, the extruded products presented a significant (p < 0.05, by the Scott-Knott test) increase in hardness (57.37 to 82.01 N) and water solubility index (12.80 to 34.10 %), as well as a decrease in color luminosity (L*=85.49 to 82.83), expansion index (2.68 to 1.99), and pasting properties. In addition, all extrudate samples presented bifidogenic activity. Therefore, YBCF exhibited attractive technological properties and can be used as an ingredient in the production of healthy and sustainable extruded products.