Characterisation of Muffins with Upcycled Sunflower Flour

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Sustainable Food Systems

Background:

• Growing demand for circular economy principles and healthier, sustainable diets.
• Utilizing food industry by-products as upcycled ingredients in food formulations.
• Sunflower flour, a by-product of sunflower oil extraction, presents an opportunity for food upcycling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop muffins incorporating upcycled sunflower flour.
• To evaluate the impact of sunflower flour on the nutritional profile of muffins, including fiber, protein, amino acids, and mineral content.
• To assess the antioxidant activity of muffins using Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and Photochemiluminescence (PCL) assays.

Main Methods:

• Muffin formulation with varying levels of upcycled sunflower flour.
• Chemical analysis for fiber, protein, amino acid composition, and mineral content.
• Antioxidant capacity evaluation using FRAP and PCL assays.

Main Results:

• Sunflower flour inclusion significantly improved fiber, protein, and mineral content in muffins.
• Enhanced amino acid profile, notably increasing lysine, threonine, and methionine levels.
• Demonstrated significant antioxidant activity (FRAP and PCL assays) in muffins with sunflower flour.

Conclusions:

• Upcycled sunflower flour can be effectively incorporated into baked goods like muffins.
• Sunflower flour addition leads to substantial nutritional improvements, including enhanced protein quality and antioxidant properties.
• These nutritional advantages can be leveraged for EU nutrition claims, promoting healthier and more sustainable food choices.