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Enhancing carob flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.) for by-product utilization in food industries: carob syrup production, functional profiling and application

2026-02-01Research article Open access
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datacite.subject.sdg09:Indústria, Inovação e Infraestruturas
datacite.subject.sdg12:Produção e Consumo Sustentáveis
dc.contributor.authorVilas-Boas, Ana Martins
dc.contributor.authorBrassesco, María Emília
dc.contributor.authorQuintino, Andreia C.
dc.contributor.authorMedronho, Bruno
dc.contributor.authorVieira, Margarida C.
dc.contributor.authorBrandão, Teresa R. S.
dc.contributor.authorSilva, Cristina L. M.
dc.contributor.authorSilva, Beatriz
dc.contributor.authorAzevedo, Miguel
dc.contributor.authorPintado, Manuela
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-05T09:12:51Z
dc.date.available2025-09-05T09:12:51Z
dc.date.issued2026-02-01
dc.description.abstractThe focus on by-product valorization in the food industry, particularly from the carob pod, underscores a commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency. This fruit, sourced from the leguminous evergreen carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.), is renowned for its adaptable flavour and nutritional value, in Mediterranean regions such as Portugal. Its production yields significant by-products, presenting environmental challenges when not managed efficiently. Innovative approaches, including integral carob flour production, aim to optimize utilization while minimizing waste and energy consumption. This study repurposed carob waste to produce novel, value-added ingredients like carob syrup, by thermal hydrolysis of integral carob flour using water at 1:3 solid-to-liquid ratio - obtaining up to 50 % solubility yield. The resulting syrup exhibited 72 % °Brix, a melting temperature (Tm) of approximately 130 °C and predominantly viscous behavior with minimal elastic (solid-like) response. Lastly, the syrup was incorporated into a carob-based brigadeiro, replacing conventional glucose-fructose syrup. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion revealed enhanced bioaccessibility of sugars and phenolics, and increased antioxidant activity during the intestinal phase. Despite sugar availability, the prebiotic activity of the syrup decreased when embedded in the brigadeiro matrix, potentially due to interactions with polyphenols or organic acids. Cytotoxicity and permeability assays confirmed safety at ?0.5 % (w/v) and supported intestinal barrier integrity. These findings support the use of integral carob flour for producing multifunctional ingredients, contributing to circular economy models while meeting consumer demands for healthier, sustainable food products.eng
dc.identifier.citationVilas-Boas, A. M., Brassesco, M. E., Quintino, A. C., & Medronho, B. et al. (2026). Enhancing carob flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.) for by-product utilization in food industries: carob syrup production, functional profiling and application. Journal of Food Engineering, 404, Article 112767. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2025.112767
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2025.112767
dc.identifier.eid105012597843
dc.identifier.issn0260-8774
dc.identifier.other9ca384c9-9c93-47c5-970a-4b0132cf3d68
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/54686
dc.identifier.wos001564824200001
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.subjectEnzymatic hydrolysis
dc.subjectLegume
dc.subjectModification
dc.subjectThermal hydrolysis
dc.subjectValorization
dc.titleEnhancing carob flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.) for by-product utilization in food industries: carob syrup production, functional profiling and applicationeng
dc.typeresearch article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.titleJournal of Food Engineering
oaire.citation.volume404
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85

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