Synergistic Effect Between Chia Mucilage and Commercial Gums and Application in Dairy Derivative

The mixture of gums in food product formulation presents a strong commercial appeal, as the synergy between the molecules can enhance the sensory characteristics of the products. This study evaluated the synergy between chia mucilage (CM) and commercial gums (guar gum-GG, xanthan gum-XG, and carrageenan gum-CG), using intrinsic viscosity as a parameter, as well as its application in processed cheese. The intrinsic viscosity of CM was 16.94 dL/g, obtained using the single-point method, a value close to that found in the literature using the graphical method, demonstrating the effectiveness of this method. The combination of chia mucilage with guar gum or carrageenan resulted in a reduction in the intrinsic viscosity of the solution, while the addition of only 25% xanthan gum led to a 66% increase in this parameter compared to the pure CM solution. However, the synergistic effect was observed only between CM and XG. Processed cheese formulations were produced in the proportions 0:100 (F0), 50:50 (F50), and 75:25 (F75) (CM). The synergistic effect between CM and XG was observed in the viscosity index of the processed cheese formulations. However, in the texture parameters, the synergy reflected differently, with the lowest results for the F50 formulation. The combination of chia mucilage and xanthan gum, when applied to a dairy product, showed remarkable characteristics, resulting in a product with greater consistency, high fiber content, and reduced fat content. The processed cheese showed a reduction of over 70% in fat content compared to Brazilian regulations.