Using Response Surface Methodology to evaluate the effect of pequi flour, and pulp and by-product on sweet bread development

Resumo

In this work, the effect of wheat flour and water replacement by pequi pulp and flour on the bread development and preparation enriched with this fruit was studied. Two experimental designs were used for two independent variables, the first evaluating the wheat flour partial replacement by pequi husk flour (x₁) and pequi pulp flour (x₂). The second design evaluated the wheat flour and water partial replacement by pequi husk flour (x₁) and pequi pulp (x₂), respectively. At the same time, a control test was conducted (without the addition of pequi flour and pulp) for comparison. The evaluated dependent variables of the bread quality characteristics were: dough volume; expansion rate; specific volume and density; texture profile and gluten content. It was possible to verify that only the gluten content was influenced by the replacement of wheat flour by pequi husk flour, whereas, only the specific volume was influenced by the replacement of water by pequi pulp. In general, the best replacement range was obtained with the formulation using between 0.75 to 2.5% pequi husk flour; up to 20% pequi pulp flour and between 5 and 35% of pequi pulp.