Consumer demand for healthier foods with improved taste and convenience has urged the food industry to develop functional foods added with bioactive ingredients that can supplement basic nutrition (food supplement) or exert a pharmacological effect (nutraceuticals). Chocolate could be used as an ideal carrier to deliver bioactive ingredients, mainly due to its high acceptability by consumers. However, a drawback of using chocolate as functional food is its high sugar content, which impedes its commercialization with the diabetic population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChocolate is an adequate matrix to deliver bioactive ingredients. However, it contains high sugar levels, one of the leading causes of chronic degenerative diseases. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of milk chocolate reformulation with alternative sugar sweeteners (Sw; isomalt + stevia), probiotics (Prob), and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on its physicochemical properties and consumers' acceptability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMetabolic syndrome is a multifactorial disorder originating from central obesity through a high caloric intake and a sedentary lifestyle. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) disease, converting it to one of the costliest chronic diseases, which reduces life quality. A strategy proposed by the food industry to reduce this problem is the generation of low-caloric products using sweeteners, which are compounds that can substitute sucrose, given their sweet taste.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, a milk chocolate formulation was developed to serve as vehicle of Omega-3 (ω3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and probiotics ( 299v and GG). Fish oil (FO) was incorporated in chocolate as a source of ω3 PUFAs. Probiotics (Prob) and FO were added during tempering, obtaining chocolates with 76.
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