Abstract
In recent years, agro-industrial by-products derived from processing and consumption mainly of fruits have become an important source of bioactive products, as fiber with or without prebiotic potential, and polyphenols with antioxidant activity against free radicals. In this research the chemical composition, including dietary fiber, besides polyphenols and TEAC, mean growth rate and mean duplication time, and prebiotic activity score of mango peel flour and potato peel flour were determined to evaluate the feasibility as functional ingredient in yogurt. Yogurt formulated with mango peel flour presented lower syneresis and higher viscosity during storage, as compared to yogurts with potato peel flour or control yogurt. Higher titratable acidity and lower pH was the reflect of the prebiotic capacity of both peel flours, with no detrimental effect on consumer acceptance. Mango peel flour and potato peel flour, with a prebiotic capacity potential due their dietary fiber content and polyphenols content, can be employed as prebiotic to improve probiotics colonization of gastrointestinal tract, with a concomitantly effect on host health.
Keywords:
agro-industrial by-products; dietary fiber; polyphenols; prebiotics