Exploring Spherification with Some Foods of the Mediterranean Diet

Abstract

The eating habits of the Mediterranean Diet (MD) represent a complete and balanced food model with numerous benefits for health. However, these eating models are deteriorating due to the popularization of foods typical of societies that have less healthy habits. As a result, strategies must be developed to bring consumers closer to the ingredients/food of the MD. Science has made available various ingredients and techniques that have allowed the development of new textures and flavours. The objective of the present study was to explore the possibility of applying the spherification technique, using sodium alginate and calcium gluconolactate, to produce changes in the texture of some foods/ingredients of the MD, developing the following food preparations: A) Liquid core hydrogel table olives (LCHTO) using a macerate and their dilutions, by reverse spherification; B) Wine pearls using liqueur wine (reduced and non-reduced); C) Vinegar pearls using local fig and grape vinegars. The reverse spherification method resulted in adequate LCHTO when the most diluted macerate of table olives (1:4) was selected and the best pearls were obtained when spherification was applied to reduced liquor wine and fig vinegar in 1.0% sodium alginate solution.