Characterisation and potential application of pineapple pomace in an extruded product for fibre enhancement

•Pineapple pomace characterisation showed its potential for fibre enrichment of food.•Pineapple pomace (10.5% and 21%) was added to extrudates to enhance fibre content.•Addition of 21% of pomace negatively affected the characteristics of the extrudates.•Results showed that up to 10.5% pineapple pomace could be added to extruded foods. This study characterised pineapple pomace (PP) and evaluated its application in extrusion to enhance fibre content of the final product. The pomace had low fat (0.61%) and high dietary fibre (45.22%), showing its potential for fibre enrichment of nutritionally poor products, as some extruded snacks. Results also showed low microbiological counts, water activity, and pH indicating good microbiological quality and low risk of physicochemical deterioration. During extrusion, pomace (0%, 10.5% and 21%), moisture (14%, 15% and 16%) and temperature (140 and 160°C) were evaluated. The PP addition decreased expansion and luminosity; while increasing redness of the extrudates compared to the control (0% pomace/14% moisture/140°C). When hardness, yellowness, water absorption, and bulk density were compared to the control, there was no effect (p>0.05) of 10.5% PP addition on the extrudates, indicating that, at this level, PP could be added without affecting the properties of the final extruded product.