Addition of Combinedly Dehydrated Peach to the Cookies-Technological Quality Testing and Optimization

Evaluation of Cookies Enriched with Osmodehydrated Wild Garlic from Nutritional and Sensory Aspects

In the present study, the nutritional and sensory properties of spelt cookies without wild garlic, cookies with fresh wild garlic, cookies with osmodehydrated wild garlic in sugar beet molasses, and cookies with osmodehydrated wild garlic in an aqueous solution of sucrose and salt were evaluated and compared. The tested cookie samples were characterized in terms of total antioxidative activity, the total content of phenols, flavonoids, and thiosulfates, the presence of dominant phenols, the content of betaine and dietary fiber, antioxidant activity after in vitro digestion, and sensory attributes for appearance, taste, smell, and texture. The results proved that the addition of wild garlic leaves osmodehydrated in molasses provided the cookies with the best nutritional and bioactive properties: 1.75 times higher total phenols content, 2.4 times higher total flavonoids content, 1.52 times higher total thiosulfates content, and 1.56 times higher betaine content, and a total quality increase of 54% compared to the control cookies. The cookies enriched with osmodehydrated wild garlic in molasses were rated as pleasant and acceptable, but also more complex compared to other cookies. The production of this nutritionally and sensory-improved cookie would contribute to expanding the assortment of flour confectionery products, especially for consumers who care about health and nutrition.

Alternative flours from pulp melons (Cucumis melo L.): Seasonality influence on physical, chemical, technological parameters, and utilization in bakery product

Fresh vegetables have high water content and low acidity, so drying can extend shelf life, allowing the obtaining of alternative flours for the development of new products. The study aimed to investigate the influence of the melon harvest and off-season on the chemical composition of melon (Cantaloupe, Charentais e Honey Dew) flours and the potential application in products. The flours were evaluated for granulometry, morphology, centesimal composition, lipid and mineral content, total phenolic compound (TPC), antioxidant activity, and technological properties. Cakes containing melon flour were produced to replace wheat flour (0, 25, and 50 %) and evaluated for proximate composition, microbiology, and sensory parameters. Flours were classified as fine-grained (MESH >16), except Charentais off-season (medium - MESH 8-16, and fine-grained - MESH >16), and all presented a rough surface and minimal cell wall ruptures. The harvest homogeneously influenced the humidity, as all the off-season flours showed higher levels [17-22 %] (p < 0.05) due to weather conditions. For TPC, Cantaloupe melon flours from the harvest (CFH) [208 mg/100 g] and off-season [877 mg/100 g] stood out (p < 0.05), and the latter showed greater antioxidant potential [328 μmol TE/g]. Palmitic, linoleic, and linolenic acid stood out in all flours, and potassium for minerals (63-78 %) in the harvest and off-season. The harvest and off-season specifically influenced the flour of each variety in swelling power, water solubility, oil absorption, and emulsifying capacity. For cakes with CFH, no thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli were detected, and the mesophilic count was <1.0 CFU/g. The ash, protein, lipid, and fiber contents increased proportionally to melon flour addition (p < 0.05). Sensory acceptance was high for cakes containing 25 and 50 % of CFH [82.78 % and 82.53 %], and most consumers would likely buy the products (4.04 and 3.99) (p < 0.05). The study contributed to knowledge about the seasonality effect and demonstrated the potential use of melon flour in developing new products.

Enhancing Cookie Formulations with Combined Dehydrated Peach: A Machine Learning Approach for Technological Quality Assessment and Optimization

This study focuses on predicting and optimizing the quality parameters of cookies enriched with dehydrated peach through the application of Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models. The purpose of the study is to employ advanced machine learning techniques to understand the intricate relationships between input parameters, such as the presence of dehydrated peach and treatment methods (lyophilization and lyophilization with osmotic pretreatment), and output variables representing various quality aspects of cookies. For each of the 32 outputs, including the parameters of the basic chemical compositions of the cookie samples, selected mineral contents, moisture contents, baking characteristics, color properties, sensorial attributes, and antioxidant properties, separate models were constructed using SVMs and ANNs. Results showcase the efficiency of ANN models in predicting a diverse set of quality parameters with r2 up to 1.000, with SVM models exhibiting slightly higher coefficients of determination for specific variables with r2 reaching 0.981. The sensitivity analysis underscores the pivotal role of dehydrated peach and the positive influence of osmotic pretreatment on specific compositional attributes. Utilizing established Artificial Neural Network models, multi-objective optimization was conducted, revealing optimal formulation and factor values in cookie quality optimization. The optimal quantity of lyophilized peach with osmotic pretreatment for the cookie formulation was identified as 15%.

The Development of Novel Functional Corn Flakes Produced from Different Types of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Cereal products, such as flakes and snack items, are frequently consumed as part of everyday diets, encompassing ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, flakes, and snacks. The utilization of extrusion technology is crucial in the manufacturing process of cereal-based flakes or snack products. When it comes to cereal-based flakes or snacks, different types of corn, such as white corn, yellow corn, red corn, and black corn, have garnered attention from scientists, consumers, and experts in the food industry. This paper investigates the simultaneous effects of different types of corn (white corn, yellow corn, red corn, and black corn) addition and different screw speeds (350, 500, 650 rpm) on the physical, technological, and functional properties of flake products. An increasing screw speed had a positive influence on the physical and technological characteristics of corn flakes, while different types of corn had a positive influence on the mineral composition and antioxidant properties. Black corn flour and a screw speed of 350 rpm positively influenced the physical and technological characteristics, mineral composition, and antioxidant properties of flake products, with a best total Z-score analysis of 0.59. Overall, the combination of Tukey's HSD test and PCA enabled a comprehensive analysis of the observed corn products and allowed us to identify satiating and significant differences between attributes and create a classification of the samples based on those differences. Corn flakes from black corn flour on a screw speed of 350 rpm is a new product with good physical-technological and functional properties due to a higher level of antioxidant activity. The last three samples have a significantly higher percentage of free radical inhibition compared with the other samples according to TPC and TFC. This product has the potential to be found on the market as a new product with functional properties.

Development and Characterization of Functional Cookies Enriched with Chestnut Shells Extract as Source of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds

Chestnut (Castanea sativa) shells (CSs), an undervalued agro-industrial biowaste, have arisen as a source of bioactive compounds with promising health-promoting effects. This study attempted, for the first time, to develop a functional food, namely cookies, using a CS extract obtained by an eco-friendly technology (subcritical water extraction). The cookies were characterized regarding their nutritional composition, total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC, respectively), antioxidant/antiradical activities, phenolic profile, and sensory evaluation. The results demonstrated that the CS-extract-enriched cookies were mainly composed of carbohydrates (53.92% on dry weight (dw)), fat (32.62% dw), and fiber (5.15% dw). The phenolic profile outlined by HPLC-PDA revealed the presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and hydrolysable tannins, attesting to the high TPC and TFC. The in vitro antioxidant/antiradical effects proved the bioactivity of the functional cookies, while the sensory evaluation unveiled excellent scores on all attributes (≥6.25). The heatmap diagram corroborated strong correlations between the TPC and antioxidant/antiradical properties, predicting that the appreciated sensory attributes were closely correlated with high carbohydrates and phenolic compounds. This study encourages the sustainable recovery of antioxidants from CSs and their further employment as an active nutraceutical ingredient in functional cookies.

Celery Root Phenols Content, Antioxidant Capacities and Their Correlations after Osmotic Dehydration in Molasses

The osmotic dehydration (OD) of celery root in sugar beet molasses was studied at three temperatures (20, 35, and 50 °C) and three immersion periods (1, 3, and 5 h) in order to examine the changes in antioxidant potential and phenolic profile of celery root throughout the process. The antioxidant capacity (AOC) of dehydrated samples was evaluated by spectrophotometric and polarographic assays, the total phenolic content by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the individual phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD. As a result of OD in molasses, the AOC and phenols content in samples increased proportionally to the augmentation of temperature and the immersion time. Vanillic acid, syringic acid, and catechin were detected in dehydrated samples as a result of transfer from molasses. Compared to fresh celery root, the content of identified phenols in osmodehydrated samples was improved from 1.5 to 6.2 times. Strong correlations between applied assays were obtained, except for the DPPH. Based on the correlation analysis chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, chrysin, catechin, and kaempferol showed the greatest contribution to the overall AOC of osmodehydrated celery root. Molasses, an agro-industrial waste from sugar production, could be valorized as a valuable osmotic solution.

Physico-Chemical, Textural and Sensory Evaluation of Spelt Muffins Supplemented with Apple Powder Enriched with Sugar Beet Molasses

The present study investigated the effect of incorporating 10, 20, and 30% apple powder obtained by freeze-drying, and apple powder produced with osmotic pre-treatment in sugar beet molasses solution, into muffins. The powder was freeze-dried and introduced as a whole spelt wheat flour replacement in muffins. The obtained products were investigated for their chemical composition and technological properties, and were subjected to a sensory analysis as well as a consumer acceptance test. Increasing the substitution level from 0 to 30% apple powder lowered the protein, starch, and fat content, while moisture content, sugar, and cellulose showed the opposite trend. The sensory analysis results indicated that the addition of apple powder or apple powder with osmotic pre-treatment (apple OT+Lyo powder) to the ingredients of muffins positively affected the taste, smell, mastication, and appearance of the final product. Consumers rated the muffins with 30% apple OT+Lyo powder as the most acceptable. Principal component analysis, an artificial neural network, and global sensitivity analysis were utilized to differentiate among muffin samples, and to estimate the corresponding influence of the substitution of spelt flour with apple powder or apple OT powder on the observed quality and nutritional parameters of the muffins.