Upcycling Brazil nut press cake as an ingredient of an innovative spread and evaluation of its nutritional, functional, and sensory properties.

Background: Brazil nut press cake (PC), a co-product of oil extraction, represents a promising alternative for developing sustainable and nutritious food products, meeting the growing demand for healthy and clean-label options. This study aimed to assess the effects of PC on spread composition, physical characteristics, sensory attributes, consumer acceptance, and storage stability assessed through oil separation.

Results: Different PC levels (0-100 g kg^-1) affected spread properties. Higher PC (100 g kg^-1) levels significantly increased (P < 0.05) protein content and insoluble fiber (156.3 and 190.0 g kg^-1, respectively). On the other hand, lipids and energy values decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Instrumental texture analysis revealed that firmness, spreadability, and adhesiveness peaked at the highest PC concentration: 383.87 g, 699.92 g s, and 384.62 g s, respectively. The 100 g kg^-1 PC formulation exhibited the lowest oil separation (12%) among samples at 15 000 × g in the sixth week. Sensory analysis showed similar scores for most attributes. The 50 g kg^-1 PC formulation scored the highest values for overall acceptance ('like regularly'), willingness to consume ('would probably consume'), and to buy ('maybe buy/maybe not buy'). Correlation analysis indicated that individuals with a controlled lifestyle are more likely to have a balanced diet and pay more for spreads. Principal component analysis suggested that the 50 g kg^-1 PC spread is a promising formulation.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the feasibility of using Brazil nut press cake in spreads, advancing the scientific, technological, and socio-economic uses of a nutritious co-product. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.