Physicochemical, functional, and sensory analysis of a fiber made from a by-product of industrial peach palm heart (Bactris gasipaes) production

The industrialization of peach palm heart generates a volume of by-products that are not subjected to any treatment, which is why there is a need to establish processes for their valorization. This study focuses on characterizing a dehydrated powder product rich in dietary fiber obtained from an industrial by-product of peach palm heart. The by-product samples were transformed into a dehydrated powdered product, and standardized tests were applied to evaluate its physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties. The final powder product exhibited high dietary fiber and protein contents, 53 % and 15 %, respectively. It was determined that functional properties significantly varied depending on particle size, and sensory analysis suggested that palm heart fiber may be promising for food enrichment. The dehydrated powdered product appears to be a promising approach for valorizing this type of by-product, as it exhibited neutral color, functional, and sensory properties consistent with those reported in other valorization studies.