https://doi.org/10.17113/ftb.63.02.25.8460

Article in press

Optimization of Vegetable Almond Beverage Mixture Enriched with Omega-3 Fatty Acids by Adding Brown Flaxseeds (Linum usitatissimum L.) Using D-Optimal Mixing Diagram Method

Zeinab El Hajj Hussein^1*, Jiuliane Martins Silva¹, Matheus Campos Castro², Nathalia Elias Borges¹ and Bruno Henrique Figueiredo Saqueti¹

¹Department of Food Science, State University of Maringá, Avenue Colombo, 5790, University Campus, 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil

²Department of Chemistry, State University of Maringá, Avenue Colombo, 5790, University Campus, 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil

Copyright © 2024 This is a Diamond Open Access article published under CC-BY licence. Copyright remains with the authors, who grant third parties the unrestricted right to use, copy, distribute and reproduce the article as long as the original author(s) and source are acknowledged.

Article history:

Received: 6 December 2023

Accepted: 24 March 2025

Keywords:

response surface methodology; optimization; almond vegetable drink; linseed; omega-3

 The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States.

Summary:

Research background. The almond beverage with flaxseed is a significant source of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that our bodies cannot produce. As such, its consumption is essential for vegans and vegetarians to maintain their health and help reduce the risk of nutritional deficiencies. While fortified products are available for this demographic, this drink offers a natural way to provide omega-3. Its versatility allows it to be easily incorporated into daily diets and combined with various recipes. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize a pattern formula for a plant-based almond drink with flaxseed, making it rich in omega-3 and entirely vegan.

Experimental approach. The initial formulation of the drink comprised 75 % raw almonds, 25 % flaxseed, a 1:6 ratio of water, and 4 % sweetener. Following preliminary tests, the beverage was optimized using the triangle mixing methodology to determine the ideal proportions of the ingredients. This process resulted in 16 samples, each with varying minimum and maximum levels of each ingredient, which were replicated and analyzed. One of the formulations achieved an optimal value of 4.27 mg/g of omega-3 and 6.03 mPa.s of viscosity. The optimized beverage was assessed for its physicochemical characteristics, bioactive compounds, fatty acid composition, and lipid profile.

Results and conclusions. The addition of flaxseed significantly impacted the lipid profile, increasing the alpha-linolenic acid content in the beverage by 1960 times, ultimately reaching 3.92 %. This optimization enriched the beverage with omega-3 by current legislation and enhanced the concentration of antioxidants and carotenoids. Importantly, these improvements did not significantly affect the color and viscosity of the final product, resulting in an affordable option that can benefit the vegan and vegetarian community.

Novelty and scientific contribution. This study shows that the response surface model effectively identified the ideal composition for the beverage, leading to an optimized formulation of a plant-based drink. This composition may have promising applications in the food industry.