Development of the Triple-C Savory Snack Bar

Abstract

The concept of functional foods was derived from the Japanese in the 1980s. Asian countries, such as China and Japan have been utilizing foods for health benefits for centuries. Functional foods are foods that can impact a person’s health beyond basic nutrition and may help lower the risk of chronic diseases. Consumption of convenience foods and snacks with functional health benefits is increasing nationwide to accommodate the changing lifestyles and health awareness of the modern consumer. Spices are increasing in popularity and demand among consumers because of their flavor and purported health protecting properties. Spices that are becoming increasingly familiar to the Western palate include cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. The aim of this study was to develop a spicy, savory cereal bar using a combination of selected spices (cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves) at various concentrations. The blend of powdered spices was added at 2.5% and 5% (resulting in two varieties of the bar) of the formulation along with rolled oats, peanuts, honey, and corn syrup. The cereal bars were stored at ambient temperature and evaluated for nutrient content (nutritional label generator software), consumer acceptability (sensory testing) and shelf stability using physiochemical characteristics (texture, pH, color, Aw). The “Spice Bar” (Triple-C Savory Snack Bar) had a brown-colored appearance (top and bottom). For the bar with 2.5% spices, L*a*b* values were 37.57, 9.13 and 17.72. The spice bar with 5% spices was slightly darker with L*a*b* values of 38.65, 9.07 and 23.38. The specific textures of the two bars were very similar with the 2.5% spice bar having a specific texture of 98.6 (N/g) and the 5% bar with a specific texture of 97.9 (N/g). Water activity for the bars ranged from 0.48-0.51 over the 4-week testing period. Though results for sensory evaluation showed high consumer acceptance for both varieties of the spice bar, 90% of the panel preferred the 2.5% spice infused bar over the 5% spice infused bar. Developing a spicy granola or cereal bar may increase consumer options for savory snacks on-the-go with possible health benefits.