Production and evaluation of flours from pre-fermented broad beans (Vicia faba L.) and application in 3D printer.

• Grant number: 24/23086-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Teresa Pedrosa Silva Clerici
• Grantee: João Pedro Cecconello Gomes de Campos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Broad beans, a legume rich in proteins and carbohydrates, are widely used in Latin American cuisine and can be consumed as cooked grains or in the form of flour, as a base for food products. However, antinutritional factors present in broad beans hinder the absorption and digestibility of nutrients, a common problem in legumes such as soybeans and lentils. To reduce these compounds, fermentation has been successfully applied to broad beans, adding nutritional and sensory value. This study aims to expand the use of fermented broad bean flour, evaluating its viability as an ingredient in food prototypes produced in a 3D printer, with controlled parameters and without generating waste. The methodology involves sanitizing and grinding broad bean grains to obtain flour, followed by fermentation with Latilactobacillus plantarum for 24 hours (F24) and 48 hours (F48), generating three treatments: control flour (CF), F24 and F48. Physicochemical, techno-functional, antinutrient and antioxidant capacity analyses will be performed, as well as quantification of phenolic compounds, as well as morphological and structural evaluations. The treatment with the best nutritional results and lowest antinutrient content will be selected for the production of a 3D food prototype. This study is expected to make fermented fava beans viable both as a food and for development of orodispersible films by 3D food printing.