Faraloni, C.; Albanese, L.; Zittelli, G.C.; Meneguzzo, F.; Tagliavento, L.; Zabini, F. New Route to the Production of Almond Beverages Using Hydrodynamic Cavitation. Foods2023, 12, 935.
Faraloni, C.; Albanese, L.; Zittelli, G.C.; Meneguzzo, F.; Tagliavento, L.; Zabini, F. New Route to the Production of Almond Beverages Using Hydrodynamic Cavitation. Foods 2023, 12, 935.
Faraloni, C.; Albanese, L.; Zittelli, G.C.; Meneguzzo, F.; Tagliavento, L.; Zabini, F. New Route to the Production of Almond Beverages Using Hydrodynamic Cavitation. Foods2023, 12, 935.
Faraloni, C.; Albanese, L.; Zittelli, G.C.; Meneguzzo, F.; Tagliavento, L.; Zabini, F. New Route to the Production of Almond Beverages Using Hydrodynamic Cavitation. Foods 2023, 12, 935.
Abstract
Almond beverages are gaining ever-increasing consumer preference in the growing market of non-alcoholic vegetable beverages, ranking in first place among oilseed-based drinks, mainly due to the perceived healthy benefits. However, the high cost of the raw material, time and energy consuming pre-treatments such as soaking, blanching and peeling, and post-treatments such as thermal sterilization, leading also to the loss of valuable macronutrients and micronutrients, hinder the sustainability, affordability and spread of almond beverages. Hydrodynamic cavitation processes were applied, as a single-unit operation, to the extraction in water of almond skinless kernels in the form of flour and fine grains, and to whole almond seeds in the form of coarse grains, up to high concentrations. The results showed full compliance with a high-end commercial product and with the expected levels based on the properties of the raw materials. The concentrated extract obtained from whole almond seeds showed a comparatively much higher antiradical activity, likely due to the contribution of the almond kernel skin. In conclusion, hydrodynamic cavitation could represent a convenient alternative processing route to the production of conventional and new integral almond beverages, avoiding multiple and costly technological steps, while affording fast production cycles of potentially healthier beverages.
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