Production and Characterization of Pomelo Albedo Powder Based Pasta: Physicochemical, Functional, Textural and Sensorial Attributes.

Background: Pomelo albedo peel byproducts are composed of many health-ben-eficial phytochemicals during processing. This study aimed to maximize the potential of incorporating pomelo albedo powder as a bioactive ingredient in pasta.

Methods: In the present study, pomelo albedo was fortified with pasta at five different con-centrations (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12%), and its effects on the antioxidant, functional, textural, and sensorial attributes of pasta were investigated.

Results: The results showed that the incorporation of albedo powder remarkably elevated the antioxidant properties and significantly increased the WAC (121.23 to 188.97%) and OAC (110.15 to 136.55%). An increase in pomelo albedo is associated with a decrease in cooking time from 10.24 to 8.28 min with cooking loss that is within an acceptable range. The pomelo albedo formulation improved the color and sensorial attributes. A higher albedo concentration significantly reduced the breaking stress, fracturability, firmness, and hard-ness but increased the adhesiveness and cohesiveness of pasta. FTIR spectra revealed the presence of characteristic peaks, and SEM reflects pomelo albedo's impact on the structural integrity of the pasta.

Conclusion: On the basis of physiochemical, cooking, and sensory data, pasta with a 6% pomelo albedo formulation was found to be the most acceptable, with an overall acceptabil-ity of 8.51. Thus, pomelo albedo can be incorporated into the industry for the preparation of pasta with enhanced nutritional characteristics.