Avaliação da aplicação de óleo essencial de cravo-da-índia e oleogel de azeite de oliva: uma alternativa para panifiicação

Abstract

Bread, one of the oldest processed foods, plays a prominent role in the food pyramid, being a rich source of carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and fibers. However, this food is susceptible to various forms of contamination, from raw materials to the final packaging stage. This raises the need to use chemical preservatives to ensure the quality, safety, and extend the shelf life of the product. However, the use of these preservatives in food can pose a chemical risk for some people, such as allergic reactions. Thus, the need for a substitute arises, such as a natural preservative. Essential oils (EOs) present various benefits and can be considered a viable option in this regard. However, another concern is related to the ingredients of bread, especially hydrogenated vegetable fats. These fats contain trans fatty acids, which are associated with various health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, inflammations, and increased LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Thus, this study aimed to produce bread with the addition of clove essential oil and the replacement of hydrogenated vegetable fat with olive oil oleogel. In this study, the extraction of clove essential oil by hydrodistillation yielded 5.96%, and the inhibition capacity against DPPH was 91.17% ± 0.277. Therefore, clove essential oil proves to be an excellent substitute for the use of synthetic antioxidants. Regarding the sensitivity of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to the EOs, inhibition halos of 22.35 mm ± 0.44 and 20.57 mm ± 0.02, respectively, were formed, demonstrating extreme sensitivity. The formulations of the bread with the substitutions were efficient; the replacement of vegetable fat with the oleogel made with olive oil from the Campanha region of Rio Grande do Sul showed visual characteristics of structure and color, moisture content, and Aw similar to the standard formulation. Furthermore, in combination with clove essential oil, it showed positive results regarding the preservation of the bread, increasing its shelf life by up to 7 days compared to the control bread. Therefore, this study indicates that the application of essential oils is an excellent alternative as a natural preservative in bread. Additionally, it demonstrates that oleogel can be used in bread production while maintaining its desired physical characteristics.