Ready-to-eat chickpea flour purée or cream processed by hydrostatic high pressure with final microwave heating

Abstract

It was shown that high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) induces either starch gelatinization or protein aggregation in chickpea flour (CF) slurries. The aim of this work was to develop a new “ready-to-eat” semi-solid CF product by using HHP at 600 MPa and 50 °C for 15 or 25 min combined with final microwave heating prior to consumption. Eight combinations with a formulation that includes raw or toasted CF, with or without lemon juice, were evaluated using physicochemical (color and protein content, mechanical and rheological behavior), microbiological and sensory analyses. All the CF products were microbiologically safe and stable during two months at refrigerated storage. Mainly, the HHP-treated CF products differed in their texture depending on the CF used, the holding time and the presence of lemon juice, whereby each individual product could be classified as a CF purée or a cream. Moreover, all the formulations showed similar very high sensory quality.