Luz Indira Sotelo Díaz

This study evaluated the feasibility of developing 3D-printable chontaduro (Bactris gasipaes) gel inks. Freeze-dried chontaduro pulp and encapsulated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum were used. Two formulations were analysed: a control (ChC) and a probiotic ink (ChLp) containing 10% (w/w) microencapsulated cells in a maltodextrin–whey protein carrier. Both were baked at 140 °C under zero humidity and evaluated for water activity, colour, texture, and sensory properties. Rheological analysis showed shear-thinning behaviour for both inks. Notably, ChLp had higher storage (G′) and loss (G″) modulus, which may indicate structural reinforcement by the carrier. Furthermore, FTIR suggested enhanced protein–polysaccharide interactions and ionic cross-linking. Both inks were found to be extrudable; however, ChLp showed a 4.1% reduction in printed height. Baking reduced water activity (aw < 0.88) and caused Maillard browning, which was more pronounced in ChLp. With respect to microbial viability, Ltp. Plantarum viability (~7.1 log CFU/g) was maintained after extrusion but lost after baking. Sensory evaluation indicated formulation-dependent differences in colour (greater yellowness) and texture (reduced adhesiveness, increased hardness) for ChLp. Overall, these findings showed chontaduro gel as a viable matrix for 3D food printing, with the encapsulated carrier altering physicochemical and sensory descriptors.

Background/Objective: Although the context, personal conditions, and caregivers’ abilities influence the nutrition of older people with dementia, adequate parameters are not always applied to identify these conditions. The aim of this study was to characterize the nutritional care needs of older people with dementia and their caregivers. Method: This descriptive exploratory study was conducted in Colombia. An intentional sample included 73 elderly individuals with dementia and 73 caregivers. This study described the participants’ characteristics with the GCPC-UN-D survey. Their nutritional conditions include medical history, objective tests, and interviews. We used the Edinburgh Scale to evaluate elderly feeding behavior and the QUALID tool to evaluate their quality of life. This study measured caregiver competence using the CUIDAR tool. Results: Adults of 78.8 years on average, with low to middle socio-economic status, low education levels, and multiple comorbidities, have adverse well-being and support conditions, except for the spiritual component. These adults have visible nutritional issues including low muscle mass indices (47.9%), muscle mass levels (arm 61.6%; calf 58.9%), and vitamin D levels (50.7%), with high cholesterol levels (57.9%) and altered hematocrit and red blood cell counts (46.4%). These adults required supervision (41%) or help (23%) for their nutrition. Caregivers were predominantly women with an average age of 32.4 years, with moderate caregiving competences (70.43%), experienced high caregiver burden (83.6%), and had low orientation in nutritional management (30.1%). Conclusions: Elderly individuals with dementia had significant nutritional and feeding problems. Their caregivers lacked adequate conditions to ensure quality care. These dyads need a strategy to improve their healthcare experience.

This chapter highlights important factors to enhance the elderly feeding experience based on the food sensory and structural properties to prompt the intake of nutrients for the elderly sector of the population that exceeds 725 million people globally. The impact of either neurological or physiological constraints, which lead to cognitive impairment, appetite decline, weight loss, and malnutrition, is discussed throughout the chapter. Nourishing for the elderly involves offering nutritious, sensory-pleasing food, and recognizing the eating experience as an opportunity to improve the individual’s emotional state. Feeding experiences that privilege acceptability must also qualify ingredients and preparations by associating food texture and rheology with the advancement and severity of deterioration. A deep understanding of the relationships among food hedonics, eudaimonia, appetite, and structure should prompt better food development, with a sense of balance among tasty and healthy food, improving nutritional status, longevity, and wellness.

The beans’ protein and slow-digesting carbohydrate content make it an appealing choice for healthy food development. However, its properties are influenced by the flour extraction processes. This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of particle size and three pretreatments—drying (D), 3 h (SCD3), and 24 h (SCD24)—on the estimated glycemic index (eGI) compared with raw bean flour (R). The methodology covered water absorption (WAI), water solubility (WSI), amylose content, starch digestibility, eGI, phenolic quantification, and rheology. The results showed that WAI correlated negatively with WSI and amylose, varying among pretreatments and sizes. WAI increased as . Glucose release (HI) differed between fine (125 μm) and coarse fractions (242 μm), with SCD24 and R showing the lowest eGI (22.8–24.2). SCD3 had the highest flavonoid concentration, while R and D had more quercetin-3-glucoside. SCD24 displayed higher elastic/viscous moduli than R. Bean flours from all treatments had low GI and contained bioactive polyphenols (catechin, epicatechin, ferulic acid, quercetin). The optimal treatment was SCD24, particularly in the coarse fraction, showing potential for functional food development and novel applications such as precision nutrition.

Background: Older people are at risk of malnutrition, especially when they suffer from cognitive impairment. Guidelines that orient nursing care in this regard need to be updated. The aim of this review is to address the best available evidence on interventions that can benefit nutritional nursing care for institutionalized older adults with dementia. Methods: Integrative review using the Dimensions and Eureka search engines, and the PubMed, Embase, Scielo, CINAHL, and ScienceDirect databases. We searched from the year 2015 through to 2021. We employed the MMAT guidelines for mixed, qualitative, and quantitative studies, and the PRISMA, CASP, and JBI guidelines to value the reviews. Results: A total of 55 studies met the inclusion criteria. The best available evidence to support nutritional nursing care for institutionalized older adults with dementia highlights several aspects related to the assessment and caring interventions that are focused on people with dementia, their caregivers, and their context. Conclusions: Both the assessment and nutritional care interventions for older people with dementia should consider the patient–caregiver dyad as the subject of care and understand the context as a fundamental part of it. The analysis of the context should look further than the immediate environment.

Legumes are a good source of vegetal protein that improves diets worldwide. Cowpea has been used as fortification agents in some traditional corn foods in developing countries such as Colombia. The work aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of extruded mixtures of corn and cowpea flours to assess the use of these mixes as vegetable protein ingredients. Corn flour was mixed with 15, 30, and 50% of cowpea flour and extruded for this proposal. After extrusion, mixtures were ground to produce a powder. Techno-functional properties of powders as water content, hygroscopicity, water absorption, fat absorption, water solubility index, swelling index, bulk density, Hausner ratio, Carr index, and porosity were evaluated in the mixtures, extrudates, and obtained powders to assess the effect of the addition of cowpea on these properties. Results showed that processing powder obtained by extrusion and drying could be used as a powder to regenerate with water as a source of protein. Moreover, storing processing samples in sections (pellet format) is convenient to avoid wetting since this format is less hygroscopic and the same mass occupies less storage volume than powders.

The aim of this study was to add cricket (Acheta domesticus) flour to dried mixtures of chucula to obtain a mixture with higher protein content without altering the typical properties of the traditional product. An experimental design with three factors (cricket flour, cacao and other flours) was performed. From this, 27 experiments were carried out. The water and protein content, particle size, water solubility and water absorption index, and color of samples were determined. All samples presented water content values less than or equal to 3%, typical of this type of product. Crude protein content increased significantly with increasing cricket flour content. The particle size of the samples with lower cocoa contents were higher, however those with lower cricket flour contents were lower. The water absorption and solubility indices were not affected by the factors in the ranges studied. The sample with lower content of the generic flours presented lower luminosity values, that is, they were darker. The sample with the highest cocoa content in its formulation showed more orange-reddish tones compared to the rest. The addition of cricket flour could be an alternative to increase the protein content in powdered chucula without altering its traditional characteristics. According to results, 7% of cricket flour, 25% of cacao and 68% of general flour was recommended to improve the final product.

Aunque el consumo de insectos puede generar sorpresa, y en algunas ocasiones rechazo y desconfianza, estos han sido parte de la dieta humana desde siglos atrás. El prestigio de este ingrediente varía según los hábitos alimenticios y costumbres culturales propias de cada comunidad o lugar particular del mundo. En países asiáticos, africanos y algunos latinoamericanos, los insectos comestibles son parte de la cotidianidad y pueden ser encontrados en comercios locales informales, así como en restaurantes de alto reconocimiento. En este capítulo se explica la entomofagia y se destacan los beneficios ambientales y nutricionales de la inclusión de insectos como el grillo (G. sigillatus) en la alimentación humana.

La incorporación de harina de grillo, como ingrediente en la cocina, trae diversos beneficios nutricionales y ambientales. Este ingrediente innovador se valora especialmente por su notorio contenido de proteínas y aminoácidos esenciales; además, su producción tiene un impacto ambiental mínimo, por lo que se considera una fuente proteica sostenible. Los desafíos ambientales que se viven en la actualidad y las proyecciones de crecimiento de la población plantean diversas problemáticas y, a su vez, impulsan la creación de estrategias innovadoras y disruptivas orientadas a mitigar las consecuencias negativas de un sistema de producción de alimentos no sostenible. Por tales razones, en este libro se plantea la utilización de la harina de grillo en la cocina de Cundinamarca, un departamento de Colombia, ubicado en el centro del país, en la región andina, que se caracteriza por su biodiversidad y condiciones ambientales que favorecen la actividad agrícola. En efecto, en las regiones con climas cálidos de este departamento se encuentra la especie de grillo Gryllodes sigillatus (Walker) con base en la cual en la actualidad se está produciendo harina para uso alimentario, un ingrediente versátil que puede ser incluido en diversas preparaciones gastronómicas. El presente libro cuenta con un amplio recetario en el que el lector descubrirá cómo la harina de grillo puede aportar al desarrollo de una alimentación saludable y sostenible.