Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Crops Technology Research Department, Food Technology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt
2
Department of Special Foods and nutrition, Food Technology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt
Abstract
This study investigated the substitution of fat with Egyptian chia mucilage and the incorporation of stevia as a natural sugar alternative in the formulation of low-calorie cupcakes, herein referred to as natural sweetener chia cupcakes. Fat was partially or fully replaced with chia mucilage at levels of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, while stevia was incorporated at a fixed level. The impact of these substitutions on functional, physical, chemical, textural, sensory, microbial, and economic parameters was assessed. Chia seeds demonstrated favorable nutritional properties, with high contents of lipids (25.00%), protein (20.56%), crude fiber (30.4%), and total carbohydrates (49.34%), in addition to strong water-holding and absorption capacities. Sensory evaluation indicated high panelist acceptance for all formulations, with scores exceeding 5 or 7 and no statistically significant difference compared to the control. Specific volume ranged from 2.52 to 2.77 cm³/g, showing no significant reduction with increasing levels of chia mucilage. Protein content reached a maximum of 11.03% in the 100% substitution group, while fat content and caloric values decreased significantly, with energy values declining from 453.86 to 390.5 kcal/100 g. Microbial counts were undetectable immediately post-baking, remained low after three days, and showed no detectable yeast, mold, or E. coli after seven days. Full fat substitution resulted in a 7.23% reduction in production cost, highlighting the potential of chia mucilage and stevia to produce nutritious, cost-effective, low-calorie baked goods without compromising product quality or consumer acceptance.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)
View on SCiNiTO