Vegan salad dressing based on cashew nuts with or without Spirulina platensis: Physicochemical, rheological, and sensory characterization and in vitro digestion of phenolic compounds

The growing demand for plant-based foods has driven the development of innovative vegan products. In this context, cashew nuts represent an excellent plant-based matrix for sauces, while Spirulina platensis emerges as a promising ingredient due to its phenolic compounds. This study aimed to develop innovative vegan salad dressings based on cashew nuts, incorporating Spirulina platensis as a functional ingredient. By combining these components, the formulation offers a novel plant-based alternative that aligns with the growing demand for nutritious, clean-label products free from animal-derived ingredients. Three formulations were developed: F1 without S. platensis (control), and F2 and F3 with 1 % and 2 % S. platensis biomass, respectively. The formulations were subjected to proximate composition, microbiological, and sensory analyses. During refrigerated storage, the formulations were evaluated for physicochemical characteristics, color, rheological properties and texture, in vitro digestion, antioxidant activity, and the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds. The salad dressing formulations presented a similar average lipid (8.84 %) and protein (4.86 %) contents, and can be considered to have a reduced lipid content. F1 had the highest carbohydrate content (13.07 %), and F3 had the highest ash content (2.29 %). When adding S. platensis biomass, the brightness decreased and there was a tendency to develop a green color during storage, while the rheological behavior and textural profile remained the same. Based on in vitro digestion, F3 stood out as a source of phenolic compounds, presenting a higher concentration in the intestinal phase (0.85 g gallic acid equivalents g⁻¹). The bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds increased as the S. platensis biomass increased. For the sensory evaluation, most of the panelists expressed interest in consuming foods containing microalgae. S. platensis had no significant influence on the overall acceptance, color, and aroma, and the salad dressing formulations received high sensory acceptance scores. The flavor of F1 and F2 was the well accepted by the panelists. In conclusion, salad dressing based on cashew nuts, with or without S. platensis, is a promising option that satisfies the demand for new vegan foods with differentiated composition and sensory characteristics.