Smart Pasta Design: Tailoring Formulations for Technological Excellence with Sprouted Quinoa and Kiwicha Grains.

The pursuit of developing healthier pasta products without compromising technological properties involves a strategic approach via the customization of raw material formulations and the integration of grain germination and extrusion processes. This study explores the impact of incorporating sprouts from quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) and kiwicha (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen) on the physicochemical properties of pasta by employing a centroid mixture design. The desirability function was utilized to identify the optimal ingredient proportions necessary to achieve specific objectives. The study identified optimal formulations for two pasta variations: pasta with the substitution of sprouted quinoa and cushuro powder (PQC), and pasta with partial substitution of sprouted kiwicha and cushuro powder (PKC). The optimal formulation for PKC was determined as 70% wheat flour (WF), 15% sprouted kiwicha flour (SKF), and 15% cushuro powder (CuP), with a desirability score of 0.68. Similarly, for PQC, the optimal formulation comprised 79% WF, 13% sprouted quinoa flour (SQF), and 8% CuP, with a desirability of 0.63. The optimized pasta formulation exhibited longer cooking times (10 and 8 min), increased weight gain (235% and 244%), and minimal loss of solids (1.4 and 1.2%) for PQC and PKC, respectively. Notably, firmness (2.8 and 2.6 N) and breaking strength values (2 and 2.7 N) for PQC and PKC pasta formulations, respectively, were comparable to those of the control sample (2.7 N and 2.6 N for firmness and fracturability, respectively). This research underscores the potential of tailored formulations and innovative processes to enhance the nutritional profile of pasta while maintaining key technological attributes.

Enhancing Nutritional Profile of Pasta: The Impact of Sprouted Pseudocereals and Cushuro on Digestibility and Health Potential.

We hypothesized that optimizing the formulation of pasta by incorporating sprouted pseudocereal flours, specifically quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) or kiwicha (Amaranthus caudatus L.) and cushuro (Nostoc sphaericum Vaucher ex Bornet & Flahault) flours, could offer the potential to simultaneously enhance nutritional quality and health-promoting properties in pasta. In this study, our objective was to optimize the formulation of composite flour (a ternary blend of wheat, sprouted pseudocereal, and cushuro flours) using a mixture composite design to maximize total soluble phenolic compounds (TSPC), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), antioxidant activity, and mineral bioaccesilability by reducing phytic acid (PA) content. Two optimal formulations were identified: one consisting of 79% wheat flour (WF), 13% SQF, and 8% CuF (oPQC), and the other composed of 70% WF, 15% SKF, and 15% CuF (oPKC). These optimized pastas exhibited reduced starch content and notably higher levels of total dietary fiber (1.5-3.61-fold), protein (1.16-fold), fat (1.3-1.5-fold), ash (2.2-2.7-fold), minerals (K, Na, Fe, Zn, Mg, Mn, and Ca), PA (3-4.5-fold), TSPC (1.3-1.9-fold), GABA (1.2-2.6-fold), and ORAC (6.5-8.7-fold) compared to control pasta (100% WF). Notably, the glycemic index of oPQC (59.8) was lower than that of oPKC (54.7) and control pasta (63.1). The nutritional profile of the optimized pasta was largely retained after cooking, although some significant losses were observed for soluble dietary fiber (18.2-44.0%), K (47.5-50.7%), Na (42.5-63.6), GABA (41.68-51.4%), TSPC (8-18%), and antioxidant activity (45.4-46.4%). In vitro digestion of cooked oPQC and oPKC demonstrated higher bioaccessible content of GABA (6.7-16.26 mg/100 g), TSPC (257.7-261.8 mg GAE/100 g), Ca (58.40-93.5 mg/100 g), and Fe (7.35-7.52 mg/100 g), as well as antioxidant activity (164.9-171.1 µmol TE/g) in intestinal digestates compared to control pasta. These findings suggest that the incorporation of sprouted pseudocereals and cushuro flour offers a promising approach to enhance the nutritional quality and bioactive content of wheat-based pasta, potentially providing health benefits beyond traditional formulations.

Performance of Thermoplastic Extrusion, Germination, Fermentation, and Hydrolysis Techniques on Phenolic Compounds in Cereals and Pseudocereals.

Bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, are phytochemicals found in significant amounts in cereals and pseudocereals and are usually evaluated by spectrophotometric (UV-VIS), HPLC, and LC-MS techniques. However, their bioavailability in grains is quite limited. This restriction on bioavailability and bioaccessibility occurs because they are in conjugated polymeric forms. Additionally, they can be linked through chemical esterification and etherification to macro components. Techniques such as thermoplastic extrusion, germination, fermentation, and hydrolysis have been widely studied to release phenolic compounds in favor of their bioavailability and bioaccessibility, minimizing the loss of these thermosensitive components during processing. The increased availability of phenolic compounds increases the antioxidant capacity and favor their documented health promoting.

Improving Nutritional and Health Benefits of Biscuits by Optimizing Formulations Based on Sprouted Pseudocereal Grains.

A mixture design (MD) was used to evaluate the effect of replacing wheat flour (WF) with sprouted cañihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen), kiwicha (Amarathus caudatus L.), and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) flours (SCF, SKF, and SQF, respectively) on the content of phytic acid (PA), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), total soluble phenolic compounds (TSPC), and antioxidant activity (AA) in biscuits. Generally, sprouted pseudocereal flours contained lower amounts of starch and protein, comparable fat, ash, PA content, and increased levels of bioactive compounds (GABA and TSPC) and AA compared with wholegrain flours. Moreover, it was confirmed that sprouted pseudocereal flours were nutritionally superior to refined WF. MD allowed the modeling of target parameters showing that PA, GABA, TSPC, and AA were positively influenced by the proportion of flours in the biscuit. The models that better described the variation in nutritional parameters as a function of the formulation displayed typically linear and binary interactions terms. SKF exerted the highest influence on the increased content of PA. Therefore, to increase mineral bioavailability, the use of SCF and SQF in the formulation of biscuits was suggested. SCF and SQF positively influenced in GABA, TSPC, and AA in biscuits. The optimal ternary blends of flours that maximize the content of bioactive compounds and AA of biscuits and simultaneously minimize PA content were identified. To study the fate of biscuits in digestion, the optimal formulation for biscuits containing SQF/SCF was selected. For this type of baked product, reduced starch digestibility and glycemic index was observed compared with the control (100% WF). Moreover, the amounts of bioaccessible GABA, TSPC, and AA were higher in gastric and intestinal digests compared with control biscuit. Overall, these results highlighted the nutritional and health benefits of incorporation of flours from sprouted Andean grains in the production of biscuits.

Reformulating Bread Using Sprouted Pseudo-cereal Grains to Enhance Its Nutritional Value and Sensorial Attributes.

Sprouting is an effective treatment for improving nutritional and bioactive properties as well as lowering the anti-nutritional compounds in pseudo-cereals. Enhancing nutritional properties when using sprouted pseudo-cereals flours as a baking ingredient requires tailored formulation. Simplex centroid designs and response surface methodology has been applied in the present study to define the ideal proportions of ternary blends of sprouted kiwicha (SKF), cañihua (SCF) and wheat flours (WF) to simultaneously enhance the content in bioactive compounds (γ-aminobutyric acid, GABA, total soluble phenolic compounds and TSPC), as well as sensory (odor, color, taste and texture) and functional attributes (antioxidant activity, AA) while reducing phytic acid (PA) content of bread. The effect of gastric and intestinal digestion on bioactive compounds, AA, PA and starch hydrolysis was also evaluated. Mixture design allowed for the identification of optimal formulation (5% SKF, 23.1% SCF, 71.9% WF) that can be used to obtain breads with higher content of GABA, TSPC, AA, overall sensorial acceptability (scores > 7) and reduced PA content and glycemic index. Moreover, this study demonstrated that these nutritional and health benefits provided by the replacement of WF by sprouted pseudo-cereal flours remained upon digestion. The results of this study indicated that WF replacement with SKF and SCF is sensory acceptable and improved the nutritional quality of bread.

Andean Sprouted Pseudocereals to Produce Healthier Extrudates: Impact in Nutritional and Physicochemical Properties.

The tailored formulation of raw materials and the combination of grain germination and extrusion processes could be a promising strategy to achieve the desired goal of developing healthier expanded extrudates without compromising sensory properties. In this study, modifications in the nutritional, bioactive profile and physicochemical properties of corn extrudates as influenced by the complete or partial replacement by sprouted quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) and cañihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen) were investigated. A simplex centroid mixture design was used to study the effects of formulation on nutritional and physicochemical properties of extrudates, and a desirability function was applied to identify the optimal ingredient ratio in flour blends to achieve desired nutritional, texture and color goals. Partial incorporation of sprouted quinoa flour (SQF) and cañihua flour (SCF) in corn grits (CG)-based extrudates increased phytic acid (PA), total soluble phenolic compounds (TSPC), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and oxygen radical antioxidant activity (ORAC) of the extrudates. Sprouted grain flour usually results in an deleterious effect physicochemical properties of extrudates, but the partial mixture of CG with SQF and SCF circumvented the negative effect of germinated flours, improving technological properties, favoring the expansion index and bulk density and increasing water solubility. Two optimal formulations were identified: 0% CG, 14% SQF and 86% SCF (OPM1) and 24% CG, 17% SQF and 59% SCF (OPM2). The optimized extrudates showed a reduced amount of starch and remarkably higher content of total dietary fiber, protein, lipids, ash, PA, TSPC, GABA and ORAC as compared to those in 100% CG extrudates. During digestion, PA, TSPC, GABA and ORAC showed good stability in physiological conditions. Higher antioxidant activity and amounts of bioaccessible TSPC and GABA were found in OPM1 and OPM2 digestates as compared to those in 100% CG extrudates.

[Occupational safety and health management of COVID-19 at a company in the Peruvian fishing sector]. / Gestión de la seguridad y salud en el trabajo frente al Covid-19 en una empresa del sector pesquero peruano.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the occupational safety and health management of COVID-19 at a company in the Peruvian fishing sector Methods: The independent variable was occupational safety and health management, defined as the implementation of preventive and control measures in response to COVID-19. The dependent variable was defined as the number of detected COVID-19 cases and test positivity rate. We used a pre- (implementation phase) and post-test (following the implementation phase) study design. We performed a non-parametric inferential analysis to identify any significant pre- and post-test differences and any associations between the variables. RESULTS: The company initiated a strategy to detect positive cases through the use of serological tests. During the first stage, 2329 tests were conducted, yielding a positivity rate of 71%. Once prevention and control actions were implemented, the positivity rate in August 2020 had decreased to 15.65%,, a statistically significant decrease (p<0.05), as well as its relationship to the measures implemented. CONCLUSIONS: This occupational safety and health intervention significantly reduced the number of COVID-19 cases and positivity rate in this group of workers in the Peruvian fishing sector.

Objetivo: Evaluar la gestión de seguridad y salud en el trabajo de una empresa del sector pesquero peruano frente al Covid-19 Métodos: La variable independiente fue la gestión de seguridad y salud en el trabajo respecto a la implementación de acciones preventivas y de control frente al Covid-19. La variable dependiente se midió a través del número de casos detectados y la tasa de positividad de Covid-19. Se utilizó un diseño preexperimental con una preprueba, durante la implementación en proceso y una post prueba, con información recopilada al finalizar las acciones preventivas y de control. Se realizó un análisis inferencial no paramétrico para establecer diferencias significativas entre la preprueba y la post prueba y el grado de asociación entre las variables. Resultados: La empresa inició una estrategia de detección de casos positivos a través del uso de pruebas serológicas. Durante la primera etapa, se realizaron 2329 pruebas que arrojaron un 71% de positividad. Una vez que se implementaron las acciones de prevención y control la tasa de positividad se redujo a un 15.65% durante agosto del 2020. Las pruebas inferenciales mostraron un nivel de significación (p<0.05) en la reducción obtenida, así como en la relación de esta con las medidas adoptadas. Conclusiones: Una adecuada gestión de seguridad y salud en el trabajo frente al Covid-19 redujo de manera significativa el número de casos detectados y la tasa de positividad del Covid-19 en trabajadores del sector pesquero peruano.

Gestión de la seguridad y salud en el trabajo frente al Covid-19 en una empresa del sector pesquero peruano / Occupational safety and health management of COVID-19 at a company in the Peruvian fishing sector

Objetivo: Evaluar la gestión de seguridad y salud en el trabajo de una empresa del sector pesquero peruano frente al Covid-19 Métodos: La variable independiente fue la gestión de seguridad y salud en el trabajo respecto a la implementación de acciones preventivas y de control frente al Covid-19. La variable dependiente se midió a través del número de casos detectados y la tasa de positividad de Covid-19. Se utilizó un diseño preexperimental con una preprueba, durante la implementación en proceso y una post prueba, con información recopilada al finalizar las acciones preventivas y de control. Se realizó un análisis inferencial no paramétrico para establecer diferencias significativas entre la preprueba y la post prueba y el grado de asociación entre las variables. Resultados: La empresa inició una estrategia de detección de casos positivos a través del uso de pruebas serológicas. Durante la primera etapa, se realizaron 2329 pruebas que arrojaron un 71% de positividad. Una vez que se implementaron las acciones de prevención y control la tasa de positividad se redujo a un 15.65% durante agosto del 2020. Las pruebas inferenciales mostraron un nivel de significación (p<0.05) en la reducción obtenida, así como en la relación de esta con las medidas adoptadas. Conclusiones: Una adecuada gestión de seguridad y salud en el trabajo frente al Covid-19 redujo de manera significativa el número de casos detectados y la tasa de positividad del Covid-19 en trabajadores del sector pesquero peruano (AU)

Objective: To evaluate the occupational safety and health management of COVID-19 at a company in the Peruvian fishing sector Methods: The independent variable was occupational safety and health management, defined as the implementation of preventive and control measures in response to COVID-19. The dependent variable was defined as the number of detected COVID-19 cases and test positivity rate. We used a pre- (implementation phase) and post-test (following the implementation phase) study design. We performed a non-parametric inferential analysis to identify any significant pre- and post-test differences and any associations between the variables. Results: The company initiated a strategy to detect positive cases through the use of serological tests. During the first stage, 2329 tests were conducted, yielding a positivity rate of 71%. Once prevention and control actions were implemented, the positivity rate in August 2020 had decreased to 15.65%,, a statistically significant decrease (p<0.05), as well as its relationship to the measures implemented. Conclusions: This occupational safety and health intervention significantly reduced the number of COVID-19 cases and positivity rate in this group of workers in the Peruvian fishing sector (AU)