Comparison of vegetable powders as ingredients of flatbreads: technological and nutritional properties

Health-driven innovation is transforming bakery products, particularly with non-conventional ingredients. This study aimed to produce healthy and technologically acceptable flatbreads, exploring the inclusion (2%) of vegetable powders (black and green olives, orange peel, lemon, tomato, beetroot, carrot, onion, artichoke, spinach, chard, kale and pak choi). Spinach and chard increased the mineral content (1.42 and 1.30 g/ 100 g) respect to control (1.01 g/100 g). Fibre content ranged from 9.33 to 11.18 g/100 g when added onion, chard, pak choi, tomato or artichoke. Beetroot was the most effective changing the colour (Delta E* 43.09), while tomato reduced the hardness (4.06 vs 5.29 N in the control). Lemon and tomato were effective reducing the extent of starch enzymatic hydrolysis by 65% and 34%, respectively. Vegetable powders can be innovative, natural, sustainable and healthy ingredients in the breadmaking of flatbreads. The incorporation of these non-conventional ingredients opens new opportunities for the bakery industry. Vegetable powders (2%) were used as ingredients for making wheat flatbreads. The impact on proximate composition, bread features and enzymatic starch digestion was greatly dependent on the vegetable powder. Lemon and tomato powders reduced the extent of in vitro starch digestion. image