فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Population aging has increased the need to develop functional foods that contribute to improving the nutritional status of older adults, particularly those with high content of protein, essential minerals, and bioactive compounds. In this context, the objective of this research was to develop and characterize a freeze-dried food supplement made from lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) and amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), supplemented with natural sweeteners (stevia and jicama) and maltodextrin as an encapsulating agent. The study was conducted using a completely randomized mixture design with two replicates and four treatments: T1 (35% lupin, 50% amaranth, 5% jicama, and 10% maltodextrin), T2 (30% lupin, 60% amaranth, 1% stevia, and 9% maltodextrin), T3 (30% lupin, 53% amaranth, 9% jicama, and 8% maltodextrin), and T4 (55% lupin, 35% amaranth, 1% jicama, and 9% maltodextrin). The suspensions were prepared in a 70:10:20 ratio (protein component:sweetener:water) and subjected to homogenization, pasteurization, and freeze-drying until a moisture content of less than 9% was obtained. Lupin and amaranth had protein contents of 20.20 and 16.95%, respectively. The freeze-dried products displayed protein contents ranging from 25.01 to 28.40%, a water activity of less than 0.6, approximately 14 g/100 g of dietary fiber, and a solubility greater than 75%. Significant amounts of iron, zinc, phosphorus, and calcium were also recorded, while antinutritional factors remained at low levels. Sensory evaluation indicated that treatment T1 had the highest acceptability, demonstrating the potential of these supplements as a stable and viable nutritional alternative for older adults.