Physico-Chemical and Sensory Properties of Cookies Prepared from Wheat Flour and Cashew-Apple Residue as a Source of Fibre

Abstract

Physico-chemical and sensory attributes of wheat/cashew-apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) fibre residue composite cookies were investigated. Cashew-apple fibre (CAF) was produced by sun-dried method (samples A, B, C, D), oven-dried method (samples F, G, H, I) and milled. Composite flour of wheat/ CAF was prepared using different levels of substitution from 0 – 20%, with 0% (sample E, 100% wheat flour) as the control. Cookies were produced using the composite flour blends, physical and sensory characteristics of the cookies evaluated within 48h of production.Physical attributes evaluated includes cookie weight, height, diameter and spread ratio. The incorporation of fibre affected significantly (p≥0.05) cookie height and weight using both methods compared to thecontrol while values for cookie diameter and spread ratio of the control sample were significantly higher compared to those with CAF addition. In all the sensory attributes studied, there were significant reductions compared to the control. However, the aroma, taste and general acceptability of cookies were found to improve with increase in the levels of CAF added.Chemical composition of the cookies showed that protein and carbohydrate decreased with increase in the levels of CAF while moisture, fat, ash and fibre increased significantly (p≥0.05) compared to the control. The fact that the overall acceptability rating of CAF incorporated cookies were close to the control sample (8.3) with 0% CAF and that crude fibre content of the cookies produced with CAF addition increased showed that cashew-apple residue can actually be used as a source of fibre in the food industry. This demonstrates a potential for cookie production using CAF supplementation in a productive exploitation of the currently wasted resources as a raw material source for cookie production.