CAROTENOID BIOACCESSIBILITY IN EXTRUDED CASSAVA SNACKS: EFFECTS OF STARCH STRUCTURE AND PEACH PALM PEEL FLOUR (Bactris gasipaes Kunth.) ADDITION

Abstract: Carotenoid bioaccessibility is influenced by several factors, including food matrix structure, processing conditions, and interactions with other dietary components, such as lipids, proteins, starch, and dietary fiber. Understanding these effects is essential for developing carotenoid-enriched food products with improved nutritional potential. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cassava flour type and peach palm peel flour (PPF) addition on β-carotene bioaccessibility in extruded snacks. Six formulations were prepared using raw cassava flour (RC) or toasted cassava flour (TC), with PPF incorporated at 0, 2.5, or 7.5%. Carotenoids were extracted from the snacks using a conventional procedure involving mortar-and-pestle homogenization, acetone, and Celite as a filtration aid. β-Carotene bioaccessibility was estimated using the INFOGEST 2.0 in vitro digestion protocol, followed by carotenoid extraction from the micellar fraction. β-Carotene concentrations in the snacks and micellar fractions were determined by high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). Bioaccessibility was calculated as the ratio of the β-carotene concentration in the micellar fraction to that in the corresponding snack, expressed as a percentage. Overall, snacks formulated with RC exhibited higher β-carotene bioaccessibility than those formulated with TC. The RC100, RC2.5PPF, and RC7.5PPF formulations showed bioaccessibility values of 45.6%, 18.2%, and 25.7%, respectively, whereas the corresponding TC100, TC2.5PPF, and TC7.5PPF formulations showed values of 20.2%, 10.4%, and 5.5%, respectively. PPF addition was associated with lower β-carotene bioaccessibility in both cassava flour systems, although the magnitude of this effect varied with flour type and PPF concentration. These findings suggest that cassava flour processing history and the resulting starch properties may influence β-carotene bioaccessibility during digestion. The lower values observed in TC-based snacks may be associated with differences in starch gelatinization, digestate viscosity, or interactions between β-carotene and starch components; however, these mechanisms require further investigation. In conclusion, cassava flour type was associated with substantial differences in β-carotene bioaccessibility, while PPF incorporation did not improve this parameter under the conditions evaluated. These findings highlight the importance of considering ingredient composition and starch properties when developing extruded cassava snacks containing β-carotene.

Acknowledgments: FAPESP (2022/09998-3 and EMU 09/51580-1), FAPESPA (2023/557510 and TO 037/2023) and CNPq (141316/2023-3, 140834/2023 0, 312660/2023-5 and 305778/2022-6).