Sensory and instrumental evaluation of quality attributes of cookies enriched with medicinal plant mixture

Abstract

Increasing health-consciousness among consumers has boosted their interest in added value food products. As a source of biologically active substances including antioxidants and antimicrobials, medicinal plants can be considered as functional food ingredients. In this research, new cookie formulations were developed by supplementing the basic cookie formula with a mixture of medicinal plants, composed to promote digestion. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of addition on the quality properties of cookies. The medicinal plant mixture was included in cookie formulations at three levels (2%, 4%, 6%) and compared to the control, which was based on wheat flour. Referring to the results, medicinal plant addition caused statistically significant (P< 0.05) differences in sensory and instrumentally measured colour and texture parameters of the cookies. Based on their overall good sensory acceptability and previously confirmed antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the mixture, new cookie formulations can broaden the utilization of this mixture and may be regarded as health-promoting functional foods.