Development of Instant Powdered Ingredients from Bean Protein Flour and Tropical Fruits by Steam Agglomeration

The increasing demand for plant-based ingredients with enhanced nutritional value and improved reconstitution properties has stimulated the development of innovative powdered food products. Although bean protein flour (BPF, 32% protein) is a promising plant-based ingredient, its poor wettability and low solubility limit its application in powdered formulations. Steam agglomeration is a promising strategy to improve powder reconstitution properties. Additionally, the incorporation of a freeze-dried tropical fruit blend (TFB) composed of mango and passion fruit powders at a 1:1 (w/w) ratio enriches formulations with carotenoids while enhancing their color. This study evaluated the effect of steam agglomeration on the technological, nutritional, and reconstitution properties of BPF–TFB powdered blends. Three formulations with BPF:TFB ratios of 25:75 (F1), 50:50 (F2), and 75:25 (F3) were prepared. Protein content, median particle size (D₅₀), wettability, water absorption index (WAI), solubility, flowability, water activity (aw), color, and total carotenoid content were determined before and after agglomeration. Protein content was 12.38%, 18.97%, and 22.24% for F1, F2, and F3, respectively. Agglomeration increased D₅₀ by 3- to 12-fold, improved powder solubility to 50.35–68.14%, and resulted in a low water absorption index (WAI, 0.88–1.33 g/g), indicating favorable reconstitution properties in aqueous media. In addition, wetting time decreased by 39.30%–99.77%, indicating enhanced powder wettability. Flowability also improved, shifting the classification of F1 from fair to good and F2 from poor to passable, while F3 showed no change in flowability, remaining classified as poor after agglomeration. Moisture content remained below 5% and aw below 0.35 in all formulations, indicating microbiological stability. A decrease in lightness (L*) and an increase in yellowness (b*) reflected the carotenoid content retained in the agglomerated powders (2.39–4.45 mg/100 g), resulting in visually perceptible color changes (ΔE > 5), enhanced yellow-orange tones, and improved visual appeal.  Overall, steam agglomeration proved to be an effective strategy for producing powdered ingredients with enhanced reconstitution properties while preserving their nutritional composition and desirable physicochemical characteristics. The incorporation of TFB further enhanced the nutritional and visual attributes of the powders through carotenoid enrichment, highlighting their potential as innovative plant-based ingredients. Acknowledgements: FAPESP Grant Nos. 2020/07015-7; 2022/11541-1 ; 2024/02262-7; and 2024/13419-4.