Enhanced Elderberry Snack Bars: A Sensory, Nutritional, and Rheological Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutrition Science
• Food Technology

Background:

• Growing interest in functional foods for cardiometabolic risk reduction.
• Oat and millet-based products offer a nutritious base for food development.
• Elderberry is recognized for its antioxidant and potential prebiotic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate oat- and millet-based snack bars enriched with freeze-dried elderberry powder (FDEBP).
• To assess the impact of FDEBP on sensory attributes, nutritional value, rheological properties, and gut microbiota benefits.
• To determine consumer acceptance and optimal FDEBP concentration for enhanced snack bars.

Main Methods:

• Sensory evaluation using a hedonic test to assess consumer preferences for taste, texture, and overall liking.
• Rheological analysis to determine dynamic storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″) for mechanical properties.
• Nutritional analysis to confirm macronutrient content and assess potential health benefits.

Main Results:

• Sensory evaluation indicated high acceptance, with scores ranging from 7 to 8.04, with the best score for bars containing 1% FDEBP.
• Rheological analysis revealed that 0.5% and 1% FDEBP significantly improved the structural strength of the snack bars.
• Nutritional analysis confirmed the snack bars provide a balanced mix of essential macronutrients.

Conclusions:

• Oat- and millet-based snack bars enriched with FDEBP are a palatable functional food option.
• Incorporating FDEBP enhances the nutritional profile and structural integrity of snack bars.
• These functional snack bars offer a minimally processed, additive-free source of nutrients and bioactive compounds beneficial for gut health.