Desenvolvimento, caracterização físico-química e sensorial de biscoitos tipo "cookies" obtidos a partir da farinha da semente de abóbora (Cucurbita máxima).

Abstract

Among the existing food variety, the pumpkin seed flour (Curcubita maxima) is known mainly because of its high protein content and because it contains large amounts of fat. In this way, there is a great demand on the part of the consumers for an increasingly healthy food and with the integral use of the food. In which, they stand out for their nutritional value and the sustainable use of it. In this sense, there is the elaboration of food products in order to stimulate the human consumption and at the same time to reduce the food waste. The objective of this research was to develop and characterize the physical-chemical and sensory aspects of cookie-type biscuits obtained from pumpkin seed flour, as well as to analyze the physicochemical aspects of the flour in question. For that, pumpkin seeds (Curcubita maxima) were purchased through a donation from the University Restaurant (UR) at the UFCG Cuité-PB campus. The other ingredients were obtained from supermarkets and specialty stores in the city. For the preparation of the pumpkin seed meal (Cucurbita maxima) the flowchart of processing was used, where the seeds were previously selected, washed and sanitized. After this stage of hygiene, they were placed in a greenhouse at the Laboratory of Bromatology (LABROM)-CES-UFCG. Finally, the seeds were ground in a blender in the Laboratory of Food Technology (LTA)-CES-UFCG to obtain the flour and later used in the processing of “cookies”. From the flour obtained from the seeds, cookie-type cookies were prepared at the Food Technology Laboratory (LTA)-CES-UFCG where an elaboration flow chart was followed. Through the physical chemical analysis of flour and cookies, these are in accordance with the values of the current legislation. Regarding sensory analysis, the biscuits were all well accepted. Thus, it is concluded that the development of cookie-type biscuits with the use of pumpkin seed meal (Cucurbita maxima), is presented as a technological alternative for its use as food, adding value to various preparations, contributing to the valorization of the integral use of the food and showing that this flour can partially replace the traditional flours in the formulations of cookies for celiacs, both in the domestic market as in the industrial one.