This study evaluates nutrients and health-promoting compounds responsible for antioxidant capacity in eight novel formulations based on lyophilized fruit and vegetable powders. The composition contained lyophilized carrot, pumpkin, lentil sprouts, raspberry, strawberry, and apple. The effect of functional additives on the antioxidant, nutritional, and functional characteristics of powdered beverages was determined in the powders and after rehydration followed by in vitro digestion. The antioxidant activity, phenols, vitamin C, and reducing power were significantly higher in the powders enriched with additives having potential functional properties. Furthermore, the analyses indicated that all the powdered formulations may be potential sources of total starch (100–112 mg/100 mL) and proteins (125–139 mg/100 mL). The designed powdered beverages after reconstitution exhibited high antioxidant content, reasonable consumer acceptance, and good in vitro bioaccessibility. The best results of antioxidant capacity were obtained for beverages enriched with raspberry, i.e., 10.4 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/100 mL and 12.1 mg TE/100 mL rehydrated at 20 °C and 80 °C, respectively. Additionally, color characteristics were used as indicators of the quality of the powdered beverages. This research promotes the reduction of food waste, since whole plant tissues are used, thus allowing maximum exploitation of food raw materials; moreover, drying provides stable shelf life.
Improvement in nutritional quality of fibrous food via in vitro digestion by Aspergillus niger
