A plant of Asian origin was studied by a group of researchers. The work resulted in a soluble powder and thickener with low calories and high fiber content.
The first Brazilian study to characterize the bioactive compounds of burdock (a plant of Asian origin) was conducted by a group of researchers linked to the Faculty of Food Engineering (FEA) at Unicamp. The work resulted in the development of two processes for the industry from burdock root using plants grown in Brazil and making full use of the vegetable. They make it possible to produce a high-yield prebiotic powder, without any chemical additives, and an ingredient that can be used as a low-calorie, fiber-rich food thickener.
Through the Inova Innovation Agency, Unicamp filed with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) a patent application for the process for obtaining prebiotic ingredients and their uses. The technology is part of Unicamp's Patents and Software portfolio, a kind of showcase of innovations produced at the university and available for partnerships with the market.
Prebiotics are carbohydrates that pass through the gastrointestinal tract without being metabolized and reach the colon intact. There, they are fermented and stimulate the growth of probiotic bacteria. Therefore, they are classified as intestinal microbiome assistants. In other words, they become food for bacteria that modulate the intestine, with several health benefits. The effects range from local anti-inflammatory activities to beneficial actions in chronic diseases, such as reducing blood glucose. Part of this is associated with the production of short-chain fatty acids that can regenerate mucous membranes, improve immunity against viruses and even bring benefits to mental health.
National production of prebiotics
The study carried out at the Faculty of Food Engineering (FEA) ranged from processing and technological development to final analyzes of the nutritional part of the extract, in addition to comparison with the prebiotic levels present in other traditional forms of burdock consumption, such as tea .
“It was the first time that Brazilian burdock went through all these stages. Until then, we did not have a history of our burdock, a plant that adapted to our lands and our climatic conditions. For me, this is a source of great pride”, says professor Maria Teresa Pedrosa Silva Clerici, one of those responsible for the Cereals, Roots and Tubers Laboratory (LCRT) at Unicamp.
Existing works on burdock detailed agronomic information on cultivation, but there was no research on the properties and composition of the roots cultivated in Brazil compared to those in Asia, Europe and North America.
In the description of the invention, the researchers highlight that commercial prebiotic products with fructooligosaccharides - unconventional sugars known as non-digestible functional carbohydrates - are generally imported from countries in the northern hemisphere.
Some of the best-known prebiotic tubers, such as yacon, Jerusalem artichoke and agave, do not have significant production in Brazil. The cultivation of burdock was adapted to the Brazilian climate, mainly in the states of São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina, and is therefore seen as an alternative for national production of prebiotics.
Greater use of burdock
The new process obtains a powder that can diversify the application of prebiotics in the food industry without wasting anything from the plant. The technology is considered environmentally clean, as it uses only water as a solvent to extract the ingredients.
The first extracted fraction showed more than 60% solubility and low humidity, which makes it very stable. With a mild, practically imperceptible flavor and light color, the product can be incorporated into juices, soups, vegetable milks and other foods - including for vegans - without major sensory changes.
The second fraction presented other physical characteristics, which increase the use of burdock. From the residue of the already crushed and heated root, an insoluble part is made, with probiotic properties, which can be used as a very low-calorie food thickener rich in fiber.
“We characterized the extraction residue to see the possibility of its use and observed that this structural fiber has a prebiotic capacity similar to that of the extract, with the presence of prebiotic carbohydrates and thickening properties, very different from what is currently available on the additives market. food”, comments nutritionist Thaísa de Menezes Alves Moro.
The product can benefit patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or neurological changes that cause dysphagia (difficulty swallowing food). Another advantage is the fact that burdock is a non-starchy tuber and can be consumed safely by people who are obese, diabetic or have dietary restrictions. The fiber present in it promotes slower digestion of carbohydrates, which helps control blood sugar levels. Replacing part of the thickeners (generally made from starches) with burdock by-products can increase the amount of fiber in these additives, improving the nutritional characteristics of those individuals' diets.
Inside the burdock
The research was in partnership with Unicamp's Laboratory of Bioaromas and Bioactive Compounds, coordinated by professor Glaucia Maria Pastore, and specialized in the characterization of functional foods. One of the challenges was adapting the analysis parameters to identify the bioactive compounds from the roots of the national burdock, as the laboratory normally works with the characterization of native Brazilian fruits.
“Burdock basically has fructooligosaccharides (FOS), such as GF2, GF3 and GF4, as well as other larger carbohydrates that we cannot identify due to lack of standards. Some roots, like yacon, have smaller carbohydrates and others, like chicory, have larger carbohydrates. Burdock has a mixture of both”, says nutritionist Ana Paula Aparecida Pereira.
FOS-type carbohydrates are not degraded during most heating processes. Due to these characteristics, the prebiotic powder developed at Unicamp can be used in various formulations, including in the bakery area, replacing traditional, higher-calorie flours and generating products with a reduced content of digestible carbohydrates, with the complementary nutritional effect of fiber.
Original article published on the Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency website.
