Quality of muffins enriched with upcycled defatted sunflower seed flour

Effect of Partial Replacement of Wheat Flour by Flour from Extruded Sunflower Seed Kernels on Muffins Quality

The use of new types of raw materials to improve the quality and nutritional value of products is an important trend in flour confectionery. Flour from extruded sunflower seed kernels (FESSK), the by-product of oil production, was used as a new ingredient in muffin formulation. Analysis of physicochemical and nutritional properties of muffins prepared with FESSK, which was added in the amounts of 5, 10, and 15% to the total weight of mixture of wheat and rye flours, as well as their sensory evaluation, were performed. According to the sensory evaluation, the muffins with FESSK had a pleasant, nutty and sunflower aroma, and the best results were shown by muffins with 10% of FESSK. Addition of FESSK, 10%, led to an increase of the content of protein by 24.7%, fat by 16.9%, fiber by 23.3%, ash by 16.9%, and a decrease of content of total carbohydrates by 5.2% and sugars by 16.2%. Enriched muffins had improved texture characteristics, particularly, smooth, crack-free surface, soft, and elastic crumb with well-developed porosity and small, evenly distributed, thin-walled pores. The FESSK could be recommended as an ingredient for improving the nutritional and technological properties of flour confectionery products.

Cold-Pressed Okra Seed Oil Byproduct as an Ingredient for Muffins to Decrease Glycemic Index, Maillard Reaction, and Oxidation

This study aimed to investigate the effects of adding cold-pressed okra seed oil byproduct (OSB) to the muffin formulation, as a partial substitute for wheat flour, on the nutritional, physicochemical, rheological, textural, and sensory properties of muffins. The carbohydrate, protein, oil, moisture, and ash contents of OSB were 44.96, 32.34, 10.21, 7.51, and, 4.98%, respectively, indicating that OSB was rich in protein and carbohydrate. All muffin samples showed a shear thinning behavior, indicating that the viscosity of all samples decreased with increasing shear rate. The frequency sweep test showed that all samples showed viscoelastic solid-like structure [G' (storage modulus)> G″ (loss modulus)]. The K' values (between 66.45 and 139.14) were higher than the K″ values (between 36.62 and 80.42) for all samples. The result was another indication of the viscoelastic solid characteristic of the samples. In our study, it was found that the fluorescence of advanced Maillard products and soluble tryptophan index decreased with increasing amount of OSB, indicating that OSB addition led to a decrease in the amount of fluorescent Maillard reaction (MR) products. The fortified muffins with more than 10% OSB had a reduced estimated glycemic index (GI) significantly in comparison with control muffin samples (p < 0.05). The induction period (IP) values of the muffin samples containing OSB (between 11:57 and 15:15 h/min) were higher than the IP value of the control sample (10:50 h/min), indicating that OSB improved the oxidative stability of the muffin samples. The addition of OSB has shown no negative effect on sensory attributes considering texture, mouth fell, odor, and taste. This study suggested that the addition of OSB in muffins could improve rheological properties and oxidative stability and decrease GI and the amount of MR products without negative impact on sensory properties.

Hydrolysis of chlorogenic acid in sunflower flour increases consumer acceptability of sunflower flour cookies by improving cookie color

Sunflower meal, a byproduct of sunflower oil pressing, is not commonly used in alkaline baking applications. This is because chlorogenic acid, the main phenolic antioxidant in sunflower seeds, reacts with protein, giving the baked product a green discoloration. Our group previously demonstrated that a chlorogenic acid esterase from Lactobacillus helveticus hydrolyzes chlorogenic acid in sunflower dough cookie formulations, resulting in cookies that were brown instead of green. This study presents a sensory analysis to determine the acceptability of enzymatically upcycled sunflower meal as an alternative protein source for those allergic to meals from legumes or tree nuts. We hypothesized that the mechanism of esterase-catalyzed chlorogenic acid breakdown does not influence the cookies' sensory properties other than color and that consumers would prefer treated, brown cookies over non-treated cookies. Cookies made from sunflower meal were presented under green lights to mask color and tested by 153 panelists. As expected, the sensory properties (flavor, smell, texture, and overall acceptability) of the treated and non-treated cookies were not statistically different. These results corroborate proximate analysis, which demonstrated that there was no difference between enzymatically treated and non-treated cookies other than color and chlorogenic acid content. After the cookie color was revealed, panelists strongly preferred the treated cookies with 58% indicating that they "probably" or "definitely" would purchase the brown cookies, whereas only 5.9% would buy green, non-treated cookies. These data suggest that esterase-catalyzed breakdown of chlorogenic acid represents an effective strategy to upcycle sunflower meal for baking applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Sunflower meal is currently used as animal fodder or discarded. A major factor preventing sunflower meal use is its high chlorogenic acid content, which causes a green discoloration of baked goods made from sunflower meals under alkaline conditions. This study presents a sensory analysis in which panelists evaluate cookies made with sunflower flour that was treated with an esterase that breaks down chlorogenic acid. The results show that enzymatic treatment prevents greening and that panelists strongly prefer esterase-treated, non-green cookies, thus demonstrating the feasibility of utilizing sunflower flour in baking applications.

Sunflower seed cake as a source of nutrients in gluten-free bread

An increase in the demand for cold-pressed vegetable oils can be observed, e.g. from sunflower. The press cake formed during sunflower oil production can also be an important source of protein, carbohydrates, and phenolic compounds. The aim of the study was to examine the quality of gluten-free breads fortified with sunflower seed cake. The fortified products were characterized by lower moisture content (49.35-48.87%). The bake loss parameter decreased after the use of the highest 15% dose of the sunflower cake. The addition of the sunflower cake caused an increase in the content of nutrients, compared to the control sample: protein (7.44-9.69%_d.b.), fat (3.41-10.72%_d.b.), crude fiber (1.23-2.34%_d.b.), polyphenols (89.3-222.3 mg·100 g_d.b.^-1), and soluble sugars (2.42-2.73%_d.b.). The gluten-free breads with the sunflower seed cake exhibited lower hardness, springiness, and chewiness but higher cohesiveness. The use of the additive contributed to the darkening of the gluten-free bread crumb. The appearance, consistency, aroma, and palatability of the sunflower cake-fortified gluten-free bread were found to be much more attractive than the parameters of the unmodified bread. The conducted research has shown that, thanks to sunflower cake addition, it is possible to obtain a highly nutritious product with desirable sensory quality.

The Potential of Wine Lees as a Fat Substitute for Muffin Formulations

The current study evaluates the prospect of wine lees (WL), a costless by-product from Amarone winemaking, as a fat replacer in muffin formulation. WL have elsewhere replaced sunflower oil, allowing the creation of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% fat-substituted muffins named ML0, ML25, ML50, ML75, and ML100, respectively. Batter rheology, in addition to the textural and colorimetric characteristics, the pore dimension, and the sensory aspect of the different formulations were evaluated. The batter consistency (K) of fat-replaced muffins was lower than that of the control, while the hardness and chewiness of the end products were higher. ML25 and ML50 samples reached the highest volume, while the baking loss decreased due to WL's fiber components. ML25, ML50, ML75, and ML100 accounted for caloric reductions of 9, 18, 22, and 26%, respectively, compared to full-fat muffins. Muffins with WL showed a darker crust and crumb as lightness (L*) decreased. Moreover, a* parameter increased with the increment of WL in the formulation, leading to a redder and less yellow-hued fat-replaced muffin. In conclusion, WL could effectively replace fat in the 25-50% range in muffins, achieving a final product with reduced calories, a higher dietary fiber content, higher volume, and promising sensory aspects.

Development and bioassessment of high nutria-omega 5 cookies through animal modeling

The food industry generates a diverse range of waste byproducts during fruit processing, which can be repurposed to create functional foods and other valuable commodities. In this particular study, leftover agro-waste from pomegranate juice was valorized to obtain pomegranate seed oil (PSO), while utilizing sunflower oilseed cake to produce sunflower meal protein concentrate (SMPC). These two extracted components were then combined as ingredients to produce High Nutria Omega 5 (HNO5) cookies. To ensure the quality and viability of pomegranate seed oil, a comprehensive set of laboratory analytical procedures were employed to evaluate its characteristics. Subsequently, different ratios of pomegranate seed oil and sunflower meal protein concentrate were utilized to develop the HNO5 cookie products. These cookies underwent thorough sensory, physicochemical, storage, and proximate evaluations as well as efficacy studies to assess their overall nutritional quality and shelf-life properties. As compared to the control feed, the findings of the renal and liver functional tests indicated a favorable effect on ALT, AST, ALP, serum urea, creatinine, albumin, globulins, total proteins, and A/G ratio. The results revealed that PSO and SMPC cookies containing 15% PSO and 15% SMPC exhibited stability in numerous physicochemical and sensory assessments. The punicic acid in HNO5 cookies significantly reduced the effects of starvation in rats and progressively improved several metabolic processes and overall health profiles. Graphical Abstract.

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.

Designing Nutritious and Sustainable Biscuits Using Upcycled Fibre-Rich Ingredients Obtained by Hot Air - Microwave Drying of Orange by-Products

Circular use of resources implies developing mild processes to transform food by-products into value-added products, without using organic solvents or extensive washing and drying steps. Refined ingredients are commonly used in gluten-free bakery resulting in high levels of saturated fatty acids and sugars as well as a lack of essential nutrients like dietary fibres. The objective of this study was (i) to compare the nutritional composition and the water retention capacity (WRC) of an upcycled orange fibre dried by hot air combined with microwave (HAD+MW) and a commercial orange fibre obtained by different methods (COM), and (ii) to compare the nutritional, texture and sensory profile of gluten-free biscuits formulated with HAD+MW and with COM fibres. The total dietary fibre content (72.0 ± 3.0%) and WRC (21.1 ± 2.7 g_water/ g) of HAD+MW fibre did not differ from the nutritional composition of the control orange fibre (COM). However, for HAD+MW fibre, protein (+2.34 fold), fat (-4.75 fold), ash (-2.31 fold), sugars (-1.42 fold) and moisture content (+11.5 fold) was different from COM. Instrumental texture analysis showed that biscuits with HAD+MW fiber resulted in less hardness (26%) than those with COM fiber. However, this difference was not perceived by panellists (p > 0.05). Exterior colour, cereal, vanilla and citrus aroma-flavour, and granularity were slightly more intense in HAD+MW biscuits but still similar to the commercial control fiber. Thus, the HAD+MW drying method can be used for upcycling orange by-products, obtaining less refined and more nutritious and sustainable ingredients for fiber-enrichment of gluten-free biscuits.

Physical Chemical and Textural Characteristics and Sensory Evaluation of Cookies Formulated with Date Seed Powder

Date seeds are a major waste product that can be utilised as a valuable and nutritional material in the food industry. The aim of the present study was to improve cookies quality in terms of functional and textural value and assess the effect of date seed powder flour substitution on the physical and chemical characteristics of cookies. Three substitution levels (2.5, 5 and 7.5%) of flour by fine date seed powder from six varieties locally named Khalas, Khinaizi, Sukkary, Shaham, Zahidi and Fardh were prepared. Two types of flour were used (white flour and whole wheat) at two different baking temperatures: 180 and 200 °C. The incorporation of date seed had no or slight effect on moisture, ash, fat and protein content of the baked cookies. On the other hand, incorporation significantly affected the lightness and hardness of cookies; the higher level of addition, the darker and crispier the resulting cookies. The sensory analysis indicated that the produced cookies were acceptable in terms of smell, taste, texture and overall acceptability. The results indicate that the most acceptable cookies across all evaluated parameters were produced using whole wheat flour with 7.5% levels of date seed powder using Khalas and Zahidi varieties. Overall, the analysis indicated that cookies with acceptable physical characteristics and an improved nutritional profile could be produced with partial replacement of the white/whole wheat flour by date seed powder.

Sunflower seed byproduct and its fractions for food application: An attempt to improve the sustainability of the oil process

The sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) is one of the main oil crops in the world grown for the production of edible and biodiesel oil. Byproducts of the extraction of sunflower oil constitute a raw material with potential for several applications in the food area due to its chemical composition, including the high content of proteins and phenolic compounds. Thoughtful of a consumer increasingly concerned with the environmental impact, we try to clarify in this review the potential of using sunflower seed byproducts and their fractions to enhance the production of potentially functional foods. The applications of sunflower seed byproduct include its transformation into flours/ingredients that are capable of improving the nutritional and functional value of foods. In addition, the protein isolates obtained from sunflower seed byproduct have good technological properties and improve the nutritional value of food products. These protein isolates can be used to obtain protein hydrolysates with technological and bioactive properties and as matrices for the development of edible, biodegradable, and active films for food. The sunflower seed byproduct is also a source of phenolic compounds with bioactive properties, mainly chlorogenic acid, which can be extracted by different methods and applied in the development of functional foods and active and bioactive food packaging. The use of sunflower seed byproduct and its fractions are promising ingredients for the development of healthier and less expensive foods as well as the alternative to decrease the environmental problems caused by the sunflower oil industry.

Characterisation of Muffins with Upcycled Sunflower Flour

There is an increased interest and need to make our economy more circular and our diets healthier and more sustainable. One way to achieve this is to develop upcycled foods that contain food industry by-products in their formulation. In this context, the aim of this study was to develop muffins containing upcycled sunflower flour (a by-product from the sunflower oil industry) and assess the effects of sunflower flour addition on the fibre, protein, amino acid, mineral content, and antioxidant activity measured by a Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay and Photo chemiluminescence (PCL) assay. Results show that the sunflower flour inclusion significantly improved all the parameters analysed as part of this study. A more balanced muffin amino acid profile was achieved, thanks to the increased levels of lysine, threonine, and methionine, the limiting essential amino acids of wheat flour. We can conclude that upcycled ingredients, such as sunflower flour, could be used for the nutritional improvement of baked goods, such as muffins. Their addition can result in several nutritional advantages that could be communicated on packaging through the use of the appropriate EU nutrition claims, such as those on protein, fibre, and mineral content.

Potential of a Sunflower Seed By-Product as Animal Fat Replacer in Healthier Frankfurters

Upcycled defatted sunflower seed flour (SUN), a by-product obtained from sunflower oil extraction, was used as an animal fat replacer to develop healthier frankfurters. For that end, animal fat was replaced (~50%) with water and 2% or 4% of SUN. Nutritional composition, technological, structural and sensorial properties were evaluated. SUN incorporation led to a significant increase in protein, minerals (magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese) and a decrease in fat content (~37% less than control with all animal fat). The incorporation of SUN in frankfurters promoted the presence of phenolic compounds. Increasing SUN addition lead to an increasingly (p < 0.05) darker frankfurter colour. Samples with SUN at 4% were firmer than the control according to TPA and sensory analysis results and showed the highest lipid disorder attributed to more lipid interactions in the meat matrix. SUN addition as an animal fat replacer in frankfurters is a feasible strategy to valorise sunflower oil by-products and obtain healthier frankfurters.