Desarrollo de harina de mazorca con cascarilla de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) y su impacto en las propiedades tecnológicas y sensoriales en galletería, batidos livianos y pesados

Abstract

The sustainable management of cocoa by-products (Theobroma cacao L.) represents a strategic challenge for the Ecuadorian agro-industrial chain. In this context, the present study aimed to develop a flour composed from cocoa cob and husk of the CCN-51 variety, and to evaluate its impact on the technological and sensory properties in three pastry systems. A standardized production protocol was established that includes drying, successive grinding and sieving, with the incorporation of 10% of husk in the composite formulation (HM-C10). Both meals were characterized by proximal analysis (AOAC) and technofunctional evaluation, Water Holding Capacity (WHC), Oil Absorption Capacity (OAC) and bulk density. HM and HM-C10 presented a WHC of approximately 10 times the value of wheat flour, which supported the proportional adjustment of the pastry formulations. The derived substitution models were applied in sablée, genoise and brownie biscuits, evaluated by 60 participants by means of a 9-point hedonic test and JAR penalty analysis. The brownie with HM-C10 obtained the highest overall acceptability with statistically significant differences with respect to the HM formulation, without JAR attributes that required intervention. The sablée biscuit and the genoise exceeded the minimum hedonic threshold (≥ 6.0), although with deficiencies in crunchiness and flavor intensity respectively. The results show that cob flour (HM and HM-C10) are a viable functional ingredient for incorporation into dense pastry systems, with potential for valorization within the framework of circular economy.