Upcycling Brazil nut press cake as an ingredient of an innovative spread and evaluation of its nutritional, functional, and sensory properties

Abstract BACKGROUND Brazil nut press cake (PC), a co‐product of oil extraction, represents a promising alternative for developing sustainable and nutritious food products, meeting the growing demand for healthy and clean‐label options. This study aimed to assess the effects of PC on spread composition, physical characteristics, sensory attributes, consumer acceptance, and storage stability assessed through oil separation. RESULTS Different PC levels (0–100 g kg −1 ) affected spread properties. Higher PC (100 g kg −1 ) levels significantly increased ( P  < 0.05) protein content and insoluble fiber (156.3 and 190.0 g kg −1 , respectively). On the other hand, lipids and energy values decreased significantly ( P  < 0.05). Instrumental texture analysis revealed that firmness, spreadability, and adhesiveness peaked at the highest PC concentration: 383.87 g, 699.92 g s, and 384.62 g s, respectively. The 100 g kg −1 PC formulation exhibited the lowest oil separation (12%) among samples at 15 000 ×  g in the sixth week. Sensory analysis showed similar scores for most attributes. The 50 g kg −1 PC formulation scored the highest values for overall acceptance (‘like regularly’), willingness to consume (‘would probably consume’), and to buy (‘maybe buy/maybe not buy’). Correlation analysis indicated that individuals with a controlled lifestyle are more likely to have a balanced diet and pay more for spreads. Principal component analysis suggested that the 50 g kg −1 PC spread is a promising formulation. CONCLUSION These findings underscore the feasibility of using Brazil nut press cake in spreads, advancing the scientific, technological, and socio‐economic uses of a nutritious co‐product. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.