Nutritional characteristics and bioactive compounds of different ovo-vegetarian diets supplemented with spirulina

Abstract EN

Innovative research in human nutrition during the past few years recommending the contribution of functional vegetarian diets to improve human health and to minimize risk diseases.

In present study, three innovative ready-to-use (RTU) and ready-to-eat (RTE) chickpea-based ovo-vegetarian diets (OVDs) incorporating different vegetables (pea, taro, and broccoli) at 15% were prepared.

These formulated OVDs with 34% chickpea were either supplemented with 1% spirulina as food supplement or formulated without spirulina.

Herein, the nutritional and bioactive compounds of those OVDs could be investigated.

Chemical composition, minerals content, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity as well as amino acids content of OVDs before and after cooking were determined.

RTE OVDs with or without spirulina were organoleptically tested after frying cooking.

Results of composite analysis were 62.46 to 68.54, 17.52 to 20.57, 5.54 to 6.19, 6.97 to 8.92, 5.09 to 6.65 and 61.49 to 63.84% for moisture, crude protein, lipids, ash, fiber and available carbohydrate contents in RTU OVDs, respectively.

Significant differences (p<0.05) were found in chemical composition in RTU and RTE as well as caloric value of OVDs.

RTU CVDs exhibit appropriate content of ascorbic acid, total phenolic compounds (TPC) flavonoids and flavonols which basically depends on their ingredients and possess a valuable antioxidant activity.

However, frying process dramatically reduced the ascorbic acid, flavonoids and flavonols contents.

Addition of spirulina had increased the minerals, phytochemicals and amino acids contents in OVDs.

High organoleptic acceptability of RTE OVDs was noticed to confirm the consumer attractiveness.

In conclusion, the possibility to produce healthy RTU and RTE OVDs incorporated with common consumed vegetables supplemented with spirulina could provide a promising approach for improving the human health and dietary pattern practices