Novel flours from leguminosae (Neltuma ruscifolia) pods for technological improvement and nutritional enrichment of wheat bread

Wheat bread is widely consumed in many Western cultures (>70 kg/per capita/year) despite the fact that the flour milling process reduces the content of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals resulting in baked goods nutritionally poor. Vinal (Neltuma or Prosopis ruscifolia) fruit is an American carob that can be grinded to obtain different fractions such as endocarp, seeds, residue and the whole pod flours. The objective of the work was to analyse the chemical compositions, colour and physical, functional and hydration properties of grinding fractions from vinal (Neltuma ruscifolia); and also, study their application in wheat bread and their effect on rheological, textural and organoleptic characteristics. The obtained flours showed to be a good source of proteins (>30% seed flour) and dietary fibre (>38% endocarp flour), with good physical and functional properties, denoting its suitability as promising novel ingredients for the design and formulation of nutritionally enriched wheat breads. The addition of vinal flours (5%) in replacement of wheat flour in a traditional bread significantly affected the rheology, giving as results less extensive doughs. The bread loaf showed a lower specific volume, and firmer and darker colour with brown tone crumbs. Sensory analysis revealed a good degree of acceptance for the enriched breads (with the best values for residue flour) suggesting that these novel flours would be suitable as ingredients for bakery products with good nutritional profile.