Elaboración de un snack de harina de maíz morado nixtamalizado con adición de harina de quinua

Abstract

This study aimed at creating nixtamalized purple corn snacks using different levels of quinoa (15%, 30%, and 45%) in order to generate a high nutritional value product. This involved establishing formulations, processes, and parameters for nixtamalization and snack production. The characterization of the snacks included physicochemical analyses: moisture, ash, fiber, fat, and protein; microbiological tests: molds, E. coli, and total plate count; sensory analysis: odor, color, taste, and texture; and cost analysis: production costs and cost benefit. Four experimental treatments were applied, each with four replicates distributed in a completely randomized design. Tukey's test (p ≤ 0.05) used for mean separation. Infostat statistical software was used for data analysis, and the Kruskal Wallis test was applied for sensory analysis. The results of the physicochemical analyses showed that T3 (45% quinoa flour) had the highest content of ash and protein, with 3.04% and 14%, respectively. T0 (0% quinoa flour) had the highest fiber content at 13.14%, whereas the moisture and fat percentages did not show significant differences. In the microbiological analyses, all treatments met the requirements of the INEN 2561 standard for snacks made from vegetable products. In the sensory analysis, only the odor attribute did not show significant differences. Cost analysis indicated that T0 had a higher production cost of $8.32/kg, whereas T3 reported a high-cost benefit of $1.43.