CHIA GRAIN INTERFERES IN TEXTURE AND COLOR INDEX IN HIGH PROTEIN DIET BARS

The high-protein bar (PB) is a versatile food since the organoleptic, functional and nutritional characteristics can be improved with adjustments in the formulation. Formulation of diet PB using as protein source from isolated soybean and whey protein and with the addition of Chia grain (Salvia hispanica L.) was developed in order to improve the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of PB due to the high content of proteins and fibers in chia seeds. Two formulations of diet BP, being PB1 control (without chia) and PB2 substituted the proteins by 20% chia, were analyzed for the antioxidant activity by the β-carotene/linoleic acid system according to the technique cited by Rufino et al. (2006); Objective color by the CIELab system, measured by the colorimetric device (Minolta CM-700D) calibrated to a white standard; Compression force using the TA texturometer. XTplus, pH using digital potentiometer (HANNA instruments, HI 2221 model) and water activity, by dew point and capacitance, at times 0, 7, 15, 30 and 45 days of storage. The results showed that chia interfered with PB staining, but it was not effective in increasing the protection of the components of the formulation to oxidation, and did not influence the pH and water activity parameters. Studies that used glycerol and sugar syrups in PB resulted in greater hardness over time of storage, however the texture of the present study presented lower hardness and was statistically altered only in the time of 45 days of storage when compared to PB1 and PB2. Therefore, it can be affirmed that the diet PBs developed with chia grain is an alternative formulation that minimised the hardening, presenting a product with good success.