Valorization of Spondias spp. residues for the development of sustainable composite rice‐based flours

BACKGROUND Rice flour is widely used as a gluten‐free raw material. However, its limited nutritional status restricts its application in functional food, requiring its combination with nutritious ingredients. The present study aimed to develop and characterize composite flours based on rice flour and Spondias spp. residues. RESULTS Composite flours were prepared with substitutions of 5%, 10% and 20% of rice‐flour with yellow mombin (YMR) and Brazil plum (BPR) residues. The incorporation of YMR and BPR reduced available carbohydrates and increased fiber and mineral contents. Flours with 5% and 10% substitution maintained technological stability, with levels of antinutrients and arsenic falling within acceptable limits. In an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion assay, the intestinal bioaccessible fractions of total phenolic compounds (TPC) were 51.91% for YMR and 50.64% for BPR. Flours with 20% residue substitution exhibited the highest TPC content, reaching 19.06 g gallic acid equivalents (GAE) kg −1 for CF20YM and 18.51 g GAE kg −1 for CF20BP. These flours also showed antioxidant capacity, with DPPH (i.e. 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging of 42% and ABTS [i.e. 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethyl benzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid)] radical scavenging of 30%, as well as inhibitory activity against α ‐amylase (42%), amyloglucosidase (39%) and lipase (39%). CONCLUSION A strong positive correlation was observed between total phenolic content and the inhibition of digestive enzymes, as well as antioxidant capacity. Therefore, the composite flours demonstrated nutritional and functional improvements, as well as adequate technological performance, confirming the potential of Spondias spp. residues for enriching gluten‐free flours.