Rational Design of Plant-Based Functional Products for Older Adults: Fabrication, Oral Processing, Palatability, and Digestibility of Co-extruded Cereals

Aim:

The disparity between the human lifespan and health span requires novel strategies, interventions, and dietary solutions to promote healthy aging. This research, part of the EAT4AGE JPI-HDHL project, concentrates on designing and assessing co-extruded plant-based functional cereals customized for senior individuals. Enriched with maca root powder and olive leaf extract, the product targets the nutritional deficiencies observed in older adults, particularly focusing on providing high-quality, easily digestible proteins.

Method:

First, a palatable vegan food alternative for seniors was designed using four plant-based flours (teff, chickpea, maize, and rice). Then, a co-extrusion process was optimized to create three ready-to-eat puffed cereal prototypes: a control, a maca-enriched product, and a maca with olive leaf extract product. The cereals underwent sensory tests by senior subjects and their digestive breakdown was investigated using a semi-dynamic in vitro digestion model mimicking a senior gut coupled with proteomic analyses (SDS-PAGE, LC-MS/MS peptide profiling, and DIAAS determinations).

Results:

Surpassing commercially available products, the developed products were shown to have a rich macronutrient profile, with over 12% (w/w) protein, 20% (w/w) fat, and low sugar content (<5% w/w). Texture analysis revealed that adding functional ingredients reduced product hardness, indicating improved chewability. Further, an untrained consumer panel (n=21, age 73±5) confirmed the high palatability and overall acceptability of the functional product. Lastly, the in vitro DIAAS of the product was confirmed to be 80%, exceeding the typical digestibility range of plant-based products (40% to 80%) like kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas.

Conclusion:

This study highlights the potential of designing palatable functional products for healthy aging. Moreover, this study shows that co-extrusion enables the creation of calorically dense plant-based products for people over 65 with improved protein digestibility. Thus, this work contributes to developing tailored foods that promote health and well-being in the aging population.