Investigation of physicochemical quality and textural attributes of muffins incorporated with pea pod powder as a source of dietary fiber and protein

Abstract

Freezing and drying industries of pea generate large amount of waste in the form of empty pods. Such waste has an attractive nutritional profile with potentiality of use as a food ingredient. The study envisaged the utilization of pea pod powder (PPP) for fiber and protein fortified muffin development and evaluation of the suitability of aerobic packaging for its storage. Central Composite Design of Response Surface Methodology was used for optimization. The optimized muffin formulation of 18% flour replacement with PPP, 15 g fat, and 1.2% leavening agent resulted in muffins rich in dietary fiber (13.78%) and protein (8.94%). The addition of PPP imparted a pleasant pistachio green tinge to the crumb. Muffins remained free from microbial contamination in cling wrap and polypropylene packs up to 6 and 9 days of ambient storage (23 ± 5°C) and the product remained acceptable up to 10 and 12 days with an overall acceptability scores of 7.33 and 7.5, respectively. Practical applications This study is a step toward amelioration of the pea pod waste that otherwise is thrown away for development of fiber and protein-rich value-added product. Muffins fortified with pea pod powder (PPP; 18% on white flour replacement basis) yielded higher total dietary fiber (13.77%) and protein (8.94%) without affecting consumer acceptance of the products. Pea pod chlorophyll was also a potential natural green colorant for muffins. This information is desirable for formulating value-added applications of PPP, as a specialty food ingredient to make nutritious muffins and similar baked products such as breads and cakes. Furthermore, fortified muffins satisfy the claim “high in fiber” according to EU commission. Also, better use of the pea industry by-product provides benefits to processing industry as well as solutions for environmental concerns associated with disposal.