Bojana Filipčev

This study investigated the effect of enriching extruded sorghum-based snacks with chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) pomace on their nutritional, functional, and sensory properties. The formulations varied from 100% sorghum (the control) to blends with up to 30% pomace, with selected samples supplemented with 1% cinnamon. Increasing the pomace content was accompanied by a marked rise in total monomeric anthocyanins (from not detected in the control to 25.12 mg/100 g at 30% pomace) and significantly enhanced antioxidant activity. Free DPPH values increased from 3.45 to 18.65 mmol TE/100 g, while Free ABTS values rose from 3.12 to 25.98 mmol TE/100 g. The highest antioxidant capacity was observed in samples containing 27–30% pomace. The incorporation of cinnamon (1%) further improved antioxidant activity compared to corresponding formulations without cinnamon (e.g., Free DPPH up to 10.79 mmol TE/100 g at 13% pomace). Higher pomace levels also produced increased crispiness and brittleness due to increased insoluble fiber content. Response surface methodology and artificial neural networks confirmed strong links among the formulation, processing conditions, and product quality. Sensory evaluation revealed overall liking scores below the neutral level (5 of the 9 hedonic scales), with bitterness identified as the main limitation, despite favorable texture attributes. Correspondence analysis of consumer feedback suggested potential strategies for sample improvement, including bitterness reduction and flavor enhancement, through the addition of sweet, salty, or complementary flavor notes (e.g., chocolate, nutty, fruity, and warm spices). Overall, chokeberry pomace shows promise as a functional ingredient in sorghum snacks, although further sensory optimization is required to enhance consumer acceptance.

Background/Objectives: The presented study aimed to understand the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and practices, as well as consumers’ preferences for the consumption of Spirulina-enriched fruit and vegetable juices. Methods: A survey about the consumers’ attitudes towards consumption of algae in general and especially Spirulina was conducted to better understand the target groups and marketing strategies for this novel non-alcoholic beverage product. Knowledge–Attitude–Practice (KAP) model in combination with structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to test the hypothesised relationships between the variables. Additionally, consumers’ preference test was done using a seven-point hedonic scale and ranking of the six juice samples: plain sour cherry juice (SC1), sour cherry juice with 0.8% (SC2) and 1.6% (SC3) of blue Spirulina powder; plain tomato juice (T1), tomato juice with 0.8% (T2) and 1.6% (T3) of blue Spirulina powder. Results: The SEM results showed that there is a limited direct impact of knowledge on social motivation, while personal behaviour strongly predicts social motivation. Namely, perceived nutritional value and health benefits were shown to be the main factors for consumers’ willingness to drink Spirulina-enriched juice. Conclusions: The result of the consumer preference evaluation exposed that the juices containing sour cherry and Spirulina achieved better sensory acceptance and ranking than those containing tomato, pointing out the importance of the product matrix for achieving consumer acceptance.

Burdock (Arctium lappa L., Asteraceae) seeds, a rich source of dietary fibre, proteins, essential and fatty acids, also contain high levels of polyphenols and lignans, especially arctigenin and arctiin. This study investigated the incorporation of native and supercritical CO₂-defatted burdock seed flour into gingerbread cookies formulated with sweetener xylitol compared to burdock seeds’ free sugar-based and xylitol-based cookies as a control. Arctiin was the dominant lignan in both native and defatted seed flours (68.30 and 75.16 mg/g, respectively), while isochlorogenic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid (7.01 and 7.86 mg/g, respectively). Among enriched formulations, xylitol cookies with defatted burdock seed flour exhibited the highest soluble dietary fibre content (0.29 g/100 g) and reduced hardness, comparable to the xylitol control. All samples achieved “good” sensory quality (18.33–19.65 points), with no significant differences among formulations (p > 0.05). Storage studies (60 days) under varying temperature and light conditions revealed a significant decline in sensory quality only for sucrose-based control cookies stored at 40 °C. The concentrations of major phenolic compounds remained stable under all storage conditions. These results demonstrate the technological and nutritional potential of defatted burdock seed flour as a functional ingredient in bakery products.

Plum skin, a by-product of industrial plum juice production, is rich in phenolic bioactives, functional compounds, and dietary fibers. These compounds support health, while the fibers may also act as structuring agents in food processing. This study investigated the structuring properties of lyophilized plum skin (LPS) in functional plum spreads produced in laboratory (F-LS) and semi-industrial (F-IS) environments, compared to a control spread (CS). Textural and rheological properties were analyzed through penetration, spreadability, flow, and dynamic oscillatory tests. Total, soluble, and insoluble dietary fibers (TDF, SDF, and IDF) in LPS and plum purée (PP) were measured using the enzymatic gravimetric method, and pectic substances contents were quantified using the colorimetric carbazole method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of polysaccharides and pectins in LPS. LPS had higher TDF, SDF, and IDF compared to PP, with TDF in LPS at 38.98 ± 0.52 g/100 g d.m. and IDF as the predominant fraction. The pectin content in LPS was 0.73 ± 0.03 g/100 g d.m., and water retention capacity ranged from 3.63 to 3.86 g/g depending on temperature (room, 50, and 82 °C). Incorporating LPS into the F-IS spread significantly increased all textural and rheological parameters, with TDF three times higher (6.69 g/100 g) compared to CS. All samples exhibited viscoelastic gel-like behavior, and LPS was a statistically significant structuring agent in both functional spreads compared to CS.

Fermentable oligosaccharides, di- and monosaccharides, and polyols defined as FODMAPs readily trigger the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which affects up to 23% of the population, through several mechanisms. A low-FODMAP diet is a short-term solution due to significant nutrient deficiencies, especially in dietary fibre (DF). IBS patients must avoid cereals, especially wholegrain cereals such as wheat and rye, which are an important natural source of DF and therefore FODMAPs (part of soluble DF). This study is the first of its kind to employ biotechnological tools for the creation of wholegrain low-FODMAP cookies and crackers based on wholegrain wheat and rye flours with high FODMAP contents. Endogenous enzymes activated via prolonged dough resting and exogenously activated enzymes originating from chicory extract, wheat malt, and baker’s yeast were employed. The prolonged dough resting time and the addition of wheat malt reduced the FODMAP content in the wholegrain wheat and rye cookies by 46% and 99.5%, respectively. The best result was achieved in the wholegrain wheat crackers, with a FODMAP content reduction of 59.3% based on the combination of a prolonged dough resting time and the addition of wheat malt and baker’s yeast. In the wholegrain rye crackers, a prolonged resting time alone was sufficient to achieve an 83.6% reduction in the total oligosaccharide content.

Fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides as well as polyols (FODMAPs) came into focus following recent clinical studies confirming that they worsen the symptoms of several gastrointestinal disorders suffered by 40% of the general population. Currently; only the low-FODMAP diet is a valuable strategy to help relieve IBS symptoms; however; it is only a temporary solution due to the nutritional deficiency caused by avoiding high-FODMAP foods. At the same time; bakery products are an important part of the human diet worldwide and the key contributors to the high intake of FODMAPs; especially in their wholegrain form. Previous research has shown that reducing FODMAPs content has negative effects on the structures of dough and bread; as well as on sensory quality. Our innovative low-FODMAP wholegrain bakery products provide a unique solution for achieving a high-dietary-fiber intake without compromising the sensory appeal. The novelty of our work is that these experiments were the first to be performed based on known but unexploited facts about the superiority of the baker’s yeast enzymatic complex. A crucial reduction in FODMAP content (by more than 75%) was achieved via a simple alteration to the bread formulation (6% baker’s yeast and the addition of baking powder) and key process parameter values (40 °C and 60 min dough fermentation time) in conventional breadmaking technology.

Two genotypes of pigmented maize (black (BM) and red (RM)) were used as flour ingredients in several formulations of the traditional baked maize dish “proja”. This study investigated the stability of phytochemical compounds and antioxidant activity in proja as affected by baking and different acidity degrees of dough formulations. Compared to RM proja, all BM proja formulations were significantly higher in antioxidant compounds and exhibited the highest inhibitory activity (73–85%) against DPPH. There was a strong significant correlation between DPPH inhibition and total phenolics (r² = 0.95), flavonoids (r² = 0.96), and anthocyanins (r² = 0.97) in baked proja. After baking, 67–85% of total phenolics were retained. The fate of flavonoids and anthocyanins after baking was variable: from 70% degradation to liberation. Dough acidity significantly and positively affected the content of phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins in BM proja (r² = 0.70, 0.82, and 0.47, respectively). Baking increased antioxidant activity against DPPH, ^•OH, and O₂^•− radicals in proja, except for ≈10% decline of DPPH inhibition in BM proja. In RM proja, retention of inhibitory capacity against O₂^•− was highly correlated to flavonoid retention (r² = 0.71). Using pigmented maize flour in proja baking resulted in proja with appreciable content of total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and high antioxidant activity, confirming the significant improvement of the nutrient profile of this traditional food.

This study delved into the impact of two extrusion processing parameters—screw speed (SS at 400, 600, 800 RPM) and material moisture content in the extruder barrel (M at 12, 15, 18%) at constant feed rate (50 kg/h)—on reducing the content of alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), tenuazonic acid (TeA), and tentoxin (TEN) in whole-grain red sorghum flour. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography combined with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS) was employed for the determination of Alternaria toxin levels. The extruder die temperature fluctuated between 136 and 177 °C, with die pressures ranging from 0.16 to 6.23 MPa. The specific mechanical energy spanned from 83.5 to 152.3 kWh/t, the torque varied between 88 and 162.8 Nm, and the average material retention time in the barrel ranged from 5.6 to 13 s. The optimal parameters for reducing the concentration of all Alternaria toxins with a satisfactory quality of the sorghum snacks were: SS = 400 RPM, M = 12%, with a reduction of 61.4, 76.4, 12.1, and 50.8% for AOH, AME, TeA, and TEN, respectively.

The assessment of color, texture, and sensory characteristics of cookies is essential as these factors significantly influence consumer acceptance and overall product appeal. Moreover, such evaluations provide invaluable insights into the synergies between ingredients and the potential market viability of the product. This research aims to investigate the impact of nettle seeds and nettle seed extract on the color, texture, and sensory attributes of wheat flour-based products, comparing these outcomes to a control (products without nettle seeds). Product color was evaluated using a MINOLTA Chroma Meter CR-00, while textural properties such as firmness and brittleness were measured using a TA-XTplus Texture Analyzer equipped with a 3-Point Bending Rig. Additionally, sensory evaluations were conducted 24 hours post-baking by a panel of seven experienced evaluators using a standardized scoring method. Color analysis revealed that products enriched with nettle seeds exhibited darker shades, whereas those with nettle seed extract showed enhanced red tones compared to the control. Instrumental texture analysis indicated that nettle seed products had softer textures, as evidenced by significantly lower values of firmness and brittleness, which in stark contrast to the firmer textures observed in products with nettle seed extract and the control. These findings were further corroborated by sensory evaluations, where panelists expressed a preference for the appearance, texture, smell, and taste of products containing nettle seeds. Overall, this research emphasizes the significant potential of nettle seeds as a functional ingredient, enhancing both the sensory appeal and overall quality of food products.

Among the cereals, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is a member of the glutenfree cereal family. This crop is widely cultivated in a wide range of geographic locations due to its strong heat and drought resistance and high photosynthetic efficiency. Rich in macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (minerals, vitamins), sorghum also contains phenolic compounds (tannins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids), which have antioxidant properties. Given its many health benefits, including its ability to suppress the formation of cancer cells and reduce obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, sorghum is used for both human and animal consumption. It can be used for baking, extrusion, and different cereal-based products such as bread, cookies, pasta, expanded snacks, and breakfast cereals. This study aimed to develop four types of snack products based on red sorghum flour (95, 92, 90, and 89%) with the addition of i) a mixture of sweet and hot ground red pepper (5, 8 and 10%); ii) cocoa powder (5, 8 and 10%); and iii) a mixture of cocoa powder (10%) and cinnamon (1%), while a 100% red sorghum snack product served as a control sample. The following extrusion processing parameters were used: feeding rate of 50 kg/h, screw speed of 800, 850, and 900 RPM, and the material moisture content in the extruder barrel ranged from 13 to 14%. The following quality attributes of snacks obtained were determined: expansion ratio, bulk density, water absorption index, water solubility index, colour and texture (hardness, number of fractures, crispiness work, crispiness index). Based on the selected quality indicators, all types of snack products obtained in this study have the potential for commercialization. However, before commercialization, consumer acceptance tests and preference tests need to be conducted.