Development of an innovative nougat from honey, blueberries, and pecan nuts

GABRIELA SILVINA MUCHIUTTI; NATALIA SOSA; CAROLINA SCHEBOR; VIRGINIA LARROSA

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2022

0145-8892

A nougat filling formulation sweetened with honey was optimized using a two-factordesign with three levels (3%, 5%, and 7%) for pecans and blueberry powder.Chromatic parameters, water activity, moisture content, and mechanical propertieswere analyzed using response surface models. According to global desirability criterion,the optimum nougat filling contained 5% pecans and 7% blueberries powder, andit was characterized by: 0.622 N (cutting force), −0.037 N/mm (adhesiveness), 1.03(elasticity), 0.886 (cohesiveness), 0.664 (water activity), and 18.3% (humidity). Then,the optimum filling was employed to develop a nougat snack, and its storage stabilitywas followed for 35 days. At 25°C the nougat retained its quality properties whileat 35°C the fracture stress decreased 3.6 times. Sensory analysis showed very highconsumers´ interest in the nougat. The results suggest that the product could have ahigh potential to be launched into the market.Novelty impact statement: The novelty of this work stands on the development of anew type of confectionery product following the actual trends to pursue a healthierdiet, by increasing fruits and nuts consumption. In this sense, a nougat containingblueberries and pecan nuts was developed, and a sugar/syrup replacement strategywas applied, by using honey as a sweetener in order to attain a sensory acceptableproduct. Finally, this alternative snack with interesting nutritive input may alsobe developed from sub-standardblueberries and pecan nuts, adding value to theseproducts.