Preparation and Characterization of Vegan Biscuits made with Vegetable Flours from Agro-Industrial Waste

The food industry produces a large volume of waste resulting from the production, preparation and consumption of food. The use and proper disposal of this waste has become a concern in recent years, such as the industrialization of cashew, Anacardium occidentale L, a fruit found in northeastern Brazil, which has great potential for use, as well as tubers and grains, thus enabling the supply of new foods, which have bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. The methodology used to make the flours follows a process of forced air drying, using a mixture of flours to make the cookies. Given this alternative, the waste was processed into flour, guaranteeing a nutritional contribution to the food products supplied. Therefore, the general objective was to develop vegan cookies using vegetable flours from agro-industrial waste such as cashew nuts, beans and tuberculosis. For the results obtained in the basic formulation, we highlight the physicochemical and phytochemical determination of the products: pH:3.70, acidity: 26.80mLsol.normal/100g, ash:1.13g/100g and humidity 4% and the bioactive compounds already identified, which confer functionality to the food, total phenols 2.8mgEAG/100g and vitamin C:72mg/100g. The possibility of acceptance of the vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free cookie was tested by sensory analysis, with a significant percentage of acceptance. It is concluded that the product developed has promising commercial potential, in line with the principles of the circular economy by promoting the sustainable use of waste that would otherwise be discarded in the environment. The product demonstrates functional characteristics that qualify it as a healthy food alternative, contributing to nutritional diversification and more conscious consumption practices. This demonstrates not only the technical and market viability of the product, but also its commitment to sustainability and the promotion of human health.