Development of snacks based on Macadamia integrifolia nuts enriched with omega-3

Abstract

Over the past decade, research in all areas of food product development has focused on meeting changing needs and current consumer demands by creating new healthy food alternatives. The aim of this study was to develop innovative, healthy snacks enriched with long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil (LCω3PUFAs). These snacks were made using waste from the Macadamia integrifolia nut beverage industry. The fish oils rich in LCω3PUFAs were incorporated as emulsion oil and in alginate-based coatings prepared by the external gelation method. The alginate-based coatings achieved a high encapsulation efficiency of over 90%, and all products showed stable levels of omega-3 fatty acids. The obtained snacks showed a protein content ranging from 7.73% to 9.02%, and the dietary fiber content was around 14% in all the formulations. Furthermore, the snacks provided more than 30% of the minimum recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids. In light of the results obtained, the developed beads were beneficial in LCω3PUFAs retention rate and improved oxidative stability. Thus, this research proposes a promising alternative for enhancing food sustainability by creating nut snacks as nutritious functional food utilizing beverage waste to increase value and reduce environmental impact.