Rheological, physical stability, microstructural and sensory properties of salad dressings supplemented with raw and thermally treated lentil flours

Pulse flours have great potential for use as ingredients in the food industry because of their good functional properties and health benefits. In this study, raw lentil flour and lentil flour and seeds subjected to different thermal processing treatments (i.e., ground roasted seeds; roasted flours; pre-cooked, ground and freeze-dried seeds; pre-cooked, ground and spray-dried seeds) were used to supplement salad dressing emulsions. The effect of lentil addition on color, physical stability, rheological, microstructural and sensory properties was evaluated. The control sample (i.e., without pulse supplementation) had the lowest values for consistency coefficient (m), apparent viscosity (ηap) and plateau modulus (GN0), which indicated lower viscoelastic properties, and further suggested that addition of pulse flours had a thickening effect. Dressings supplemented with pre-cooked freeze- and spray-dried lentil flours had the highest rheological properties. Overall, the results showed that thermally-processed pulse flours may be suitable as value-added ingredients in salad dressing applications.

► Salad dressing emulsions were prepared with processed pulse flours.
► Pulse flour supplementation increased the viscoelasticity of the salad dressings.
► Wet thermal processing increased the observed thickening effect of pulse flours.
► Study provides knowledge for application of pulses as techno-functional ingredients.