Fruit-vegetable Powder Makes Collagen Jelly Healthier Without Losing Flavor

Korean researchers person highlighted nan nonstop fruit–vegetable operation that keeps low-sugar collagen jelly some flavorful and antioxidant-rich, proving that guilt-free “beauty snacks” are possible

Study: Physicochemical Properties and Sensory Evaluation of Low-Sugar Collagen Jelly Using Fruit and Vegetable Powder. Image credit: Anna Shkolnaya/Shutterstock.com

In a caller study published successful Foods, researchers wished nan fruit-vegetable powder level that maximizes antioxidant capacity and sensory penchant successful an erythritol-sweetened collagen jelly while maintaining desirable physicochemical properties. 

Background 

Many adults are trying to trim sweetener intake for weight, skin, aliases glucose control, yet galore “beauty” jellies stay sugar-dense. Collagen supports tegument hydration and elasticity, while apples, carrots, and tomatoes proviso polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and fibre that temper regular oxidative accent from pollution, light, and hectic routines.

Replacing sucrose pinch erythritol, a polyol pinch a zero glycemic index, tin little post-meal glucose without calories. However, low-sugar products often struggle to lucifer accepted versions' color, texture, and mouthfeel. Today’s consumers want indulgent snacks that still consciousness healthy. Determining nan correct magnitude of fruit-vegetable powder is cardinal to striking that balance, and ongoing investigation intends to capable that knowledge gap.  

About nan study

Investigators prepared collagen jelly successful six formulations by adding hot-air-dried apple, carrot, and herb powders mixed 5:1:1 (w/w) astatine 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, aliases 10% of full mass. A composite gelling strategy of konjac glucomannan, locust legume gum, and κ-carrageenan (1:0.8:0.2, w/w/w) was used.

Equal parts sucrose and erythritol (8.5 g each per 100 g) provided sweetness, pinch citric acerb and 0.2 g of brackish for flavor. Batches were heated (≈80 °C), molded, and group (4 °C, 24 h). Proximate creation followed nan Association of Official Analytical Chemists methods; sweetener was measured arsenic degrees Brix pinch a refractometer aft ultrasonic extraction successful distilled h2o (DW).

Color utilized Hunter L (lightness), a (red-green), and b (yellow-blue) values. Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) quantified hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness.

Antioxidant assays included Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) reported arsenic quercetin equivalents (QE), Total Polyphenol Content (TPC) reported arsenic gallic acerb equivalents (GAE), and radical-scavenging capacity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), some expressed arsenic vitamin C equivalents (VCE).

A 30-adult sheet rated color, odor, taste, texture, and wide liking connected a seven-point Likert scale. Statistics utilized one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) pinch Duncan’s station hoc trial successful Statistical Analysis System (SAS) 9.4 astatine p<0.05. The protocol had Institutional Review Board (IRB) support and informed consent.

Study results

Color shifted predictably pinch much fruit-vegetable powder. Lightness (L) fell from 34.83 astatine 0% to 23.60 astatine 10%, while redness (a) accrued from −1.45 to 18.93 and yellowness (b) from 2.48 to 25.59, reflecting carotenoids from carrot and herb and polyphenols from apple; each pairwise differences crossed concentrations were important wrong rows (p<0.05). This deeper, warmer colour aligns pinch what shoppers expect from fruit-forward products.

Proximate analyses showed moisture decreased arsenic powder accrued (≈50.89% astatine 0% to 39.70% astatine 10%), while crude protein, crude fat, and ash modestly increased, accordant pinch solids contributed by powders. Carbohydrates roseate to ≈49.83% astatine 10%, and nan jelly remained distinctly “low-sugar”: degrees Brix accrued only from 2.43 (0%) to 3.63 (10%), acold beneath sucrose-sweetened citrus jellies, typically astir 21-23 °Brix. This matters for group monitoring glucose who still want a pleasant dessert.

Instrumental texture measurements corresponded good pinch nan jelly’s perceived mouthfeel. Hardness accrued pinch powder (1.32 N astatine 0% to 3.39 N astatine 10%), and adhesiveness remained debased until rising astatine 8% and 10%. Cohesiveness peaked astatine 4% (≈0.68), past fell astatine higher levels (≈0.34 astatine 10%), indicating that excessively overmuch powder disrupts a azygous gel network. Springiness roseate toward 8% (≈0.72) earlier dipping, while gumminess and chewiness were highest astir 8% and past declined to 10%. These information bespeak an inflection adjacent 8% wherever firmness, resilience, and easiness of chewing consciousness “right” alternatively than brittle aliases gluey.

Phytochemicals roseate pinch powder, arsenic TFC accrued from 1.58 mg QE/100 g (0%) to 14.99 mg QE/100 g (10%), and TPC from 12.72 mg GAE/100 g to 39.99 mg GAE/100 g. Antioxidant activity accrued pinch powder concentration: DPPH radical-scavenging roseate from 25.68 mg to 90.67 mg VCE/100 g, and ABTS from 12.68 mg to 51.72 mg VCE/100 g. Even astatine 8%, nan jelly showed important gains (≈78.57 mg VCE/100 g for DPPH and ≈42.26 mg VCE/100 g for ABTS), highlighting its beardown antioxidant imaginable without compromising sensation aliases texture.

The sensory panel’s responses intimately aligned pinch nan instrumental findings. Among 30 adults, wide penchant was lowest astatine 2% (≈3.17/7) and highest astatine 8% (≈4.30/7), pinch 8% besides starring connected odor and taste. Texture scores did not disagree importantly crossed groups, a communal occurrence erstwhile sheet sensitivity is modest, yet nan inclination favored mid-to-higher powder levels.

Notably, 8% appeared to deed a saccharine spot: deeper color, brighter consequence notes, stronger antioxidant readouts, and a firm-but-pleasant bite. The article notes that these findings whitethorn beryllium useful for merchandise developers designing low-sugar jellies for health-conscious consumers.

Conclusions 

This study shows that an erythritol-sweetened collagen jelly tin beryllium some debased successful sweetener and precocious successful user entreaty erstwhile formulated pinch a humble magnitude of fruit-vegetable powder.

Around 8% powder delivered nan champion wide penchant while improving color, firmness, and antioxidant capacity (higher QEs, GAEs, and VCEs). Hardness and adhesiveness roseate pinch much powder, but cohesiveness and springiness peaked astatine intermediate levels, cautioning against overloading solids.

While microbial stableness and broader panels warrant early testing, nan findings connection applicable targets for developers and propose imaginable applications successful healthier choices for consumers seeking blood-glucose-friendly, antioxidant-rich treats.