Water-soluble vegetable extract of cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) fermented with water kefir: development and characterization

Abstract

Cashew nuts from the Anacardium occidentale L. tree stand out as a promising raw material for developing innovative food products due to their rich nutrients and versatile applications. This work aimed to study and characterize a product based on a vegetable extract of cashew nut (CNWSE) fermented with water kefir grains. A 2 ³ central composite design (DCC) was applied, with independent variables: sucrose (S), inulin (I), and xanthan gum (GX), and the dependent variables were grain cell growth (Δx), beverage yield (R), soluble solids (SS) and lactic acid (LA). Proximate analysis, organic compounds, and enzymatic activity characterized the optimized drink (fermented and non-fermented). Among the 11 formulations studied, F2 was said to be optimized based on the statistical results generated and by the researchers' choice after evaluating sensory attributes. High levels of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates determined in cashew nuts indicate that this raw material is an excellent energy source and protein of vegetable origin. In the enzymatic analysis of the optimized drink, the majority of enzyme activity was amylase, followed by cellulose, proteases, peroxidase, lipases, and laccases. The approach of this work contributes to the diversification of vegetable protein-based food options on the market while promoting principles of sustainability and inclusion.