Effects of replacing fat by betaglucans from Ganoderma lucidum on batter and cake properties

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of replacing vegetable fat at different concentrations (20, 30, 40 and 50%) by betaglucans from Ganoderma lucidum (βGGL), on the physical properties of cake batters, and on the quality of the resultant cakes. The addition of βGGL significantly affected the specific gravity, the flow properties and the color of the batter formulations. The fat-replacing led to a slight reduction in the volume of cakes, because fewer air bubbles were incorporated into the batter samples as the concentration of βGGL increased. The hardness of the cakes significantly increased during storage as the amount of βGGL increased. The fat-reduced cakes displayed similar color, moisture content, and water activity than the control cake samples. However, the crumb microstructure was affected by the addition of βGGL, as revealed by the scanning electron micrographs. The fat-reduced cakes containing 40% βGGL showed a general sensorial acceptance of 97%, as indicated by untrained panelists. These results suggest that βGGL could be used as fat replacers for improving the nutritional value of batter cakes.