PRODUCTION OF “LEATHER” SNACKS BASED ON BEETROOT PEEL

Beetroot peel may be promising for the development of leather-type snacks, mainly due to its nutritional value and active compounds. The objective of this work was the production and characterization of leathers based on beetroot peel. The beetroots were donated (discarded by the local market, without microorganism growth, and with reduced physical injuries) and purchased in Pirassununga-SP. The samples were sanitized, and the peel was obtained using a manual peeler, generating a single batch. The peels were subjected to steam cooking (98 °C, 100% steam, 1h) and crushed in a food processor to obtain beetroot peel puree (BPP). Leathers were produced by tape-casting, with 40 and 60 g BPP/100 g leather forming weight (LFW) and 2 g agar-agar/100 g LFW), dried in an oven with forced ventilation (50 °C/ 9h) and characterized for water content (WC), concentration of total phenolic compounds (CTPC) and betalain concentration (BC). The leathers presented low WC, varying between 7.49±0.86 and 7.53±1.35 g/100 g leather dry basis (db), not differing significantly (p>0.05), which may contribute to greater microbiological stability and shelf life of the product. Regarding active compounds, the increase in BPP did not significantly affect the CTPC, ranging between 874.504±137.49 and 924.69±166.15 mg GAE/100 g leather db. However, the increase in BPP concentration caused a significant increase in BC (increase from 261.63±46.25 to 308.53±17.84 mg/100 g leather db), showing a significant difference (p<0.05). Leather with 60 g BPP/100 g LFW presented higher concentrations of compounds. On the other hand, both formulations allowed the production of a continuous matrix with a soft and easy-to-handle texture, resembling “leather.” Leathers represent an alternative to the use of beetroot peels, being a product rich in active compounds and clean labels that can reduce the disposal of organic material and ensure food safety due to the reduced cost.