Quality assessment of experimental cookies enriched with freeze-dried black chokeberry

The present work was designed to evaluate the influence of incorporating freeze-dried black chokeberry powder on the chemical composition, antioxidant activity and sensory properties of cookies.

The content of fat, water, total ash, protein and directly reducing sugars, total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH radical scavenging activity, and reducing power (FRAP) was determined in cookies containing a 5, 10 and 15% freeze-dried black chokeberry and control sample. Enriched cookies were prepared by replacing the dough with freeze-dried black chokeberry powder on a weight basis. The samples were subjected to Qualitative Descriptive Analysis and consumer hedonic test.

The incorporation a growing amount of black chokeberry resulted in an increase in the water, total ash and directly reducing sugar content and to a decrease in the fat content of the cookies. TPC increased from 14.1 mg GAE per 100 g control sample to 481.1 mg GAE per 100 g cookies with 15% black chokeberry. The multiple increment in DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power FRAP was observed in cookies with the additive in comparison to the control sample, which was due to the high antioxidant capacity of black chokeberry. The addition of black chokeberry influenced the sensory profile of cookies, resulting in their darkening, in turn strengthening the intensity of sour taste, chokeberry flavour and astringency and at the same time decreasing the intensity of sweet aroma, sweet taste and crumbliness of the cookies. The sample with 10% of black chokeberry showed a balanced sensory profile with high consumer liking.

The consumer acceptance and high antioxidant activity of experimental cookies suggest that freeze-dried black chokeberry could be considered as a nutritive additive to cookies and other bakery products.