Physicochemical and sensory analysis of salted cereals bars developed with vegetables rich in carotenoids

Cereal bars are very appreciated by Brazilian consumers, especially because they are practical food with diverse flavors and compositions. They are easy to carry, do not need refrigeration, and can be a source of nutrients.  However, salty cereal bars are not explored by food industries, and new formulations using healthier raw materials, such as rich in carotenoids vegetables, should be studied, especially concerning the acceptance of these new products by consumers. This study aimed to develop salted cereal bars with the addition of vegetables rich in carotenoids (dried tomato, dehydrated carrot and fresh kale). The physicochemical composition, texture analysis, and sensory acceptance were evaluated. Formulations with dried tomato and carrot were classified as a source of protein, while the cereal bars elaborated with kale can be classified as high protein content. The addition of cheese did not influence (p >0.05) the hardness parameter in texture analysis. Samples added of dried tomato showed the highest concentrations of total carotenoids. In the sensory analysis, the addition of the cheese layer only increased the color acceptance for the kale cereals bar (p 0.05) between samples with or without cheese for the same flavor. The dried tomato and carrot cereal bars were the most accepted and did not differ statistically (p > 0.05) for all the attributes. Therefore, it was possible to develop salted cereal bars with the addition of vegetables rich in carotenoids and obtain good nutritional, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics.