FUNCTIONAL POTENTIAL OF HEAT-MOISTURE TREATED RAMÓN SEED STARCH AS A THICKENING AGENT IN A SOUP READY-TO-EAT

Developing nutritive foods with properties that benefit consumer health, particularly those using unconventional ingredients, has gained relevance in food formulation. Ramón seed (Brosimum alicastrum Sw.), an underutilized, high-starch source, is a promising alternative. This study aimed to formulate and evaluate a dehydrated broccoli soup using heat-moisture treatment (HMT)- modified Ramón seed starch at 10% moisture (RSS-HMT10%), assessing its safety and acceptance among 87 consumers using a 9-point hedonic scale, and its proximate composition by AOAC methods. Total starch (TS) and resistant starch (RS) contents were determined using colorimetric enzymatic methods. Total dietary fiber (TDF) was analyzed using enzymatic-gravimetric procedures, and the functional properties were measured in the product. In vitro digestibility was assessed by hydrolysis kinetics, and starch digestive fractions were estimated using the Englyst method to calculate the predictive glycemic index. The soup with 100% RSS-HMT10% (S1) was safe and equally accepted (69%) as the control (C) (67.8%) and the unmodified RSS (S0) (57.5%) soups. Among the dehydrated (D) formulations, moisture was highest in D-S0 (6.5%) and lowest in D-S1 (3.0%). In rehydrated soups (R), R-S1 had the highest protein and lowest crude fat content compared to R-S0, and the highest total carbohydrate content compared to R-C. In the carbohydrate profile, D-S1 showed lower TS (39.3±0.2%) but higher RS (9.1±0.1%) and TDF (11.3±0.2%) compared to D-C and D-S0. In the rehydrated form, R-S1 showed higher TS (6.9±0.1%) and TDF (1.7±0.0%) than R-C, while RS increased compared to R-S0. Functional properties showed that D-S1 increased dispersibility time slightly compared to D-S0 and D-C; it showed higher emulsification capacity than D-C but lower than D-S0, and its rehydration capacity was slightly reduced compared to D-C and D-S0. D-S1 increased the solubility between 70–90 °C, while water absorption and swelling power were lower at 90 °C, indicating structural reorganization under HMT. Rheological tests revealed that D-S0 had the highest consistency and viscosity, while D-S1 showed lower apparent viscosity but greater elasticity (G’), suggesting improved gel stability. Hydrolysis kinetics of D-S1 were slower (89.1±1.0%) than D-C, and R-S1 showed even lower hydrolysis (93.8±1.6%) at 240 min. Both dehydrated (DS1) and rehydrated (R-S1) forms exhibited the lowest rapidly digestible starch fractions (17.9±0.3% and 25.2±0.6%, respectively) compared to C and S0 formulations. Additionally, R-S1 showed a higher RS fraction (48.7±2.9%) than R-C and R-S0, resulting in the lowest predicted glycemic index (74.3±1.2%). Ramón seed starch modified by HMT at 10% moisture is a safe, functional, and consumer-accepted ingredient for soup formulation. Its incorporation improves resistant starch and dietary fiber content, reduces its digestibility and glycemic index, and offers potential health benefits for individuals with obesity and/or diabetes, positioning it as a viable substitute for conventional corn starch in processed foods.