**5.3 Nut flour**

*Innovation in the Food Sector Through the Valorization of Food and Agro-Food By-Products*

markers (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and INF-γ).

catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, among others.

have shown to be potentially suitable for these types of application.

potential for food applications as a substitute for cocoa butter [10].

**5. Nut-based products**

**5.1 Nut oil**

inflammation markers upon the intake of different portions of Brazil nuts (from 0 to 50 g) by healthy individuals. The trial revealed that the consumption of 20 or 50 g of Brazil nuts was responsible for a decrease in serum levels of inflammation

Nanoemulsions prepared from cashew nut shell liquid showed cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. The cells treated with the nanoemulsion presented reduced viability, primarily through apoptosis or necrosis [46]. Cashew nut has also demonstrated a positive impact on cholesterol levels and systolic blood pressure. In a trial conducted with 300 type 2 diabetic adult patients, the administration of 30 g of cashew nuts daily for 12 weeks could reduce the subjects' blood pressure while the concentration of plasma HDL cholesterol increased.

Müller et al. [47] reported a potential biological effect of pecan nutshell extracts *in vivo* and *in vitro* studies. The phenolic-rich extracts from pecan nutshell demonstrated protection against liver damage induced by ethanol in rats by increasing the levels of endogenous antioxidant defenses, such as glutathione (by 33%), superoxide dismutase (by 47%) and catalase (by 47-73%). Hilbig et al. [48] showed that aqueous extracts from pecan nutshell were able to reduce the viability of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The effect was attributed to the high abundance of phenolic compounds in the extract, such as gallic, ellagic, and chlorogenic acid, as well as

Nuts are usually consumed as a snack, in their natural form, as well as toasted, salted, or caramelized. The Brazil nuts, cashew and pecan and are used as ingredients in several industrialized food products such as bakery goods, sweets, chocolates and ice creams, among others. The underexplored nuts, such as chichá, monguba, pracaxi, and sapucaia, although not reaching the same level of commercialization,

Nut oils are usually obtained by pressing, and since they are not refined, they are classified as extra virgin. The main steps involved in the processing of an extra virgin nut oil are harvesting, pre-drying, peeling, drying, oil extraction, and centrifugation. Because of the appreciable sensorial attributes and elevated price compared with other vegetable oils, the nut oils are considered gourmet oils. The price will differ according to the nut type, its availability, and the processing used. Brazil nut, pecan and cashew nut oils are usually found in specialized stores of natural products, in pharmacies (for use as cosmetics) and are available for online purchase, where their price ranges from 8 US \$ to 17 US \$. The pracaxi oil can be found for commercialization, mainly as a cosmetic, due to its emollient properties. On the other hand, chichá, sapucaia and monguba oils have not been commercially produced yet. However, studies show that these oils are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and possess high oxidative stability, thus showing great potential for commercialization [8, 18]. Monguba oil, which is rich in palmitic acid, has a great

Cereal bars are consumed mainly as a diet substitute for sugar-dense snacks, as well as an energy and protein source for athletes. In the formulation of cereal bars, it

**148**

**5.2 Cereal bars**

Nuts can be ground into flour for use in bakery goods. Cake, the residue left after nut oil extraction, can be used as raw material to produce defatted nut flour. This is considered a sustainable process since it adds value to a coproduct, reducing waste generation [50]. Nut flour is rich in dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. The application of partially defatted nut flour has been reported to improved consumer acceptance of gluten-free bakery products [50]. The combination of rich nutritional composition with appreciable physical properties makes these flours suitable for bakery products, such as cookies, bread, cakes, sweets, among others.

Physical properties, such as water or oil retention capacity, foam properties, emulsifying activity, and emulsion stability, are very important for the incorporation of flour into bakery products. Sanchez et al. [51] reported that pistachio and cashew nut flours with thermal trapping in autoclave showed interesting emulsifying and water rectifying properties for application in bakery products. In another study, Teixeira et al. [19] reported functional properties of defatted sapucaia flour. The parameters of emulsion formation and stability indicated that it could be applied as an ingredient in emulsified products such as cakes, creams, sauces and sausages, among others.
