EVALUATION OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF COLLARD GREENS POWDER

Collard greens (Brassica oleracea) is a plant widely used in Brazilian cuisine, for soups, salads and preserves. It is associated with healthy habits, mainly due to the high content of phenolic compounds, carotenoids and vitamins C and K. Collard greens are commonly sold fresh, and like other vegetables are prone to post-harvest spoilage. The application of new technologies to collard greens is necessary to guarantee product quality, preserve functional properties and enable storage stability. In this context, this study aimed to develop a collard greens powder and evaluate its technological properties. The collard greens powder had an apparent density of 0.85 g/ml, compacted density of 0.60 g/ml, actual density of 1.23 g/ml and porosity (0.30). These parameters influence the processing and storage of the developed product. According to the Hausner factor (1.27) and compressibility index (21.10), the powder showed an intermediate fluidity, which is important for defining the production processes and packaging. The powder showed hydrophilic characteristics, such as hygroscopicity (12.14 g/100g), solubility in water (50.51 g/100g), and water absorption (2.88 gH2O/g), with higher values compared to wheat flour for these parameters. The moisture content (10.90 g/100g) of the powder showed a value within the standard recommended by Brazilian legislation for flour (<15 g/100g). The water activity (0.16) was low, characteristic of dry products and with a value that ensures microbiological stability. Therefore, given these characteristics, the collard greens can be used to make collard greens powder, which may be applied to products such as soup, bread, pasta and cakes. Furthermore, the collard greens powder will have a longer shelf life than the fresh leaf and it can be stored at room temperature.