Revalorización del descarte originado por la producción de jugo de manzana como ingrediente funcional en la formulación de premezclas para horneados

This work evaluated the use of apple juice by-product as a functional ingredient in healthy baking premixes. Due to its high fiber content, this raw material was decided to be used as an enrichment strategy for food product formulation. Apple pomace was obtained as a by-product of the juice industry and was dried and ground to obtain apple flour. Premixes for fiber enriched muffins, cakes and biscuits were developed by partially substituting wheat flour for apple flour to obtain a product that could be labeled as “source of fiber”. The products developed were satisfactorily evaluated, but even if fiber had a negative effect on the sensory characteristics of the products, it also caused them to be perceived as healthy. Considering that the cake was the product with the highest acceptability, it was selected to make a comparative study with competing market-leading products. This comparison revealed that the developed premix contributes to the preparation of another product concept, since it was described differently than commercial products, but with comparable acceptability. Finally, it can be said that the development of premixes using apple juice by-product constitutes a new category of functional foods, which satisfies both the needs of consumers and those of the industry, making it possible to transform an environmental problem into a potential economic return for companies.