Capitani *et al*. [11] Mean value (n = 3)

according to Tukey's test.

**Table 3.** Fiber composition of chia meals analyzed according to the method of Van Soest (% d.b.)

according to Tukey's test.

\*Factor: 6.25; NFE: nitrogen-free extract.


**Table 4.** Antioxidant activity of chia (*Salvia hispanica* L.) meals compared with other meals

Regarding the functional properties, the meal with mucilage (Ms) exhibited a statistically higher absorption and water holding capacity (p<0.05) than that of the meal without muci‐ lage (Msm) (Table 5). This behavior can be associated with the presence of mucilage in Ms, which acts as soluble dietary fiber, capable of holding water inside its matrix [51]. The WAbC of both meals was higher than that observed for canola and soybean meals (3.90 g/g and 3.28 g/g, respectively) and similar to that of linseed meal (6.03 g/g) [48].

Both types of chia meals presented a low absorption of organic molecules and oil-holding capacity, being significantly higher in Msm. These differences could be explained in terms of the particle size and the cellulose content of the meal [52, 53]. The determination of OHC is important because it is related to the capacity that food components have to hold oil, affect‐ ing their flavor and mouthfeel [54]. The OMAC is associated with the interaction of the fiber with fats, bile acids, cholesterol, drugs, and toxic and carcinogenic compounds at the intesti‐ nal level. Due to their low OHC levels, both types of chia meals could be considered an im‐ portant ingredient in the manufacture of fried products due to their low fatty mouthfeel contribution. It is noteworthy that the OHC values were higher than those reported for the *Jessenia polycarpa* fruit meal [55] and similar to those of the fibrous residue of *Canavalia ensi‐ formis* and barley [53, 56] and those reported by Khattab and Arntfield [48] for linseed and canola meals (2.01 g/g and 2.09 g/g, respectively).


**Figure 3.** Activity and stability of O/W emulsions (50:50 p/p) with chia meal with and without mucilage. Values fol‐

Effect of Mucilage Extraction on the Functional Properties of Chia Meals

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/53171

431

lowed by different letters differ significantly (Tukey's test, p ≤0,05)

**Figure 4.** Destabilization kinetics of O/W emulsions (50:50 p/p) with chia meal

**Table 5.** Functional properties of chia (*Salvia hispanica* L.) meals

In Figure 3 it can be noted that the differences observed in the emulsifying activity were not significant, although the stability of the emulsion prepared with Ms was statistically higher than that with Msm (p<0.05). This effect can be associated with the capacity of mucilage to act as a thickening agent due to its ability to increase the viscosity of the aqueous phase in an O/W emulsion, thus hindering movement of the oil droplets of the dispersed phase [59]. This property is similar in the linseed mucilage, which has a strong thickening capacity, fa‐ vorably affecting the water-holding capacity and the emulsifying properties of defatted lin‐ seed flour [60].

The behavior of the meals studied with respect to emulsion stability, examined by their opti‐ cal characterization with a vertical scan analyzer (QuickScan), is shown in Figure 4. Both meals presented a high initial emulsifying capacity (66.3 and 62.2 %BS. for Ms and Msm, re‐ spectively), which remained approximately constant for all the time span studied (60 min) for Ms. However, the emulsion stability of the meal without mucilage decreased markedly by the end of the 60 min (50.4 %BS).

important because it is related to the capacity that food components have to hold oil, affect‐ ing their flavor and mouthfeel [54]. The OMAC is associated with the interaction of the fiber with fats, bile acids, cholesterol, drugs, and toxic and carcinogenic compounds at the intesti‐ nal level. Due to their low OHC levels, both types of chia meals could be considered an im‐ portant ingredient in the manufacture of fried products due to their low fatty mouthfeel contribution. It is noteworthy that the OHC values were higher than those reported for the *Jessenia polycarpa* fruit meal [55] and similar to those of the fibrous residue of *Canavalia ensi‐ formis* and barley [53, 56] and those reported by Khattab and Arntfield [48] for linseed and

**Property Msm Ms #**

WHC (g/g) 5.25 ± 0.39 a 10.64 ± 0.60 b

WAbC (g/g) 4.79 ± 0.49 a 6.45 ± 0.41 b

OHC (g/g) 2.94 ± 0.14 b 2.03 ± 0.08 a

OMAC (g/g) 2.22 ± 0.01 b 1.64 ± 0.02 a

Values followed by different letters differ significantly (p ≤ 0.05),

In Figure 3 it can be noted that the differences observed in the emulsifying activity were not significant, although the stability of the emulsion prepared with Ms was statistically higher than that with Msm (p<0.05). This effect can be associated with the capacity of mucilage to act as a thickening agent due to its ability to increase the viscosity of the aqueous phase in an O/W emulsion, thus hindering movement of the oil droplets of the dispersed phase [59]. This property is similar in the linseed mucilage, which has a strong thickening capacity, fa‐ vorably affecting the water-holding capacity and the emulsifying properties of defatted lin‐

The behavior of the meals studied with respect to emulsion stability, examined by their opti‐ cal characterization with a vertical scan analyzer (QuickScan), is shown in Figure 4. Both meals presented a high initial emulsifying capacity (66.3 and 62.2 %BS. for Ms and Msm, re‐ spectively), which remained approximately constant for all the time span studied (60 min) for Ms. However, the emulsion stability of the meal without mucilage decreased markedly

canola meals (2.01 g/g and 2.09 g/g, respectively).

430 Food Industry
