Physical-Chemical Evaluation of the Cassia grandis L. as Fortifying Egg Powder

This research responds to a new strategy of foods nutritionally modified to improve the bioavailability and quantity of nutrients in the egg. Fortification with iron is one of the most common and the sources that exist to obtain it are varied. Carao (Cassia grandis) is such one of them due to its content of inorganic iron and possible use in the fortification of egg products. In Honduras there are no validated studies on the fortification of powdered egg with iron coming from carao (C. grandis), and its incidence as a potential alternative to treat iron-deficiency anemia. For its achievement, an objective was set out to evaluate the phenotypic, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of carao (C. grandis) to determine its fortifying capacity in powdered egg. Fresh eggs from the poultry farm of the National University of Agriculture and carao (C. grandis) from the department of Choluteca, Honduras were used as raw material. It was determined that the phenotypic characterizations of the carao fruit (C. grandis) were distributed in 11.81% seeds, 9.45% pulp and 78.74% bark. It has a length of 55 cm, a width of 36 mm, a thickness of 30 mm, contains 80 locules and 60 seeds, and the fruit has a mass of 254 g. Fresh carao pulp contains 72% soluble solids, a pH of 5.51 and a viscosity of 200.66 cP. The same, when subjected to dehydration increases 13% of soluble solids, however, its pH-maintains stability.