Influence of sugar beet dietary fibers on cookies shelf life

Abstract

The structure and composition of sugar beet fibers, a unique combination of naturally occurring soluble and insoluble fibers and calcium, result in many beneficial physiological and functional properties. Sugar beet dietary fibers have also antioxidant properties, and have been successfully used in the formulations of cookies to improve their functional characteristics. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of sugar beet fibers on cookies shelf life, comparing with commercially available sugar beet fibers - Fibrex. Control cookies and cookies with sugar beet fibers (0, 7, 9 and 11%) were tested every 7 days by DPPH radical scavenging activity, expressed as IC50 values, during 6 weeks of storage. The obtained results indicated that the substitution of wheat flour with dietray fibers in the cookies upgrades their antioxidant activity and prolongs their shelf life. The highest antioxidant activity, and lowest IC50 values (about 0, 49 g/ml) were measured in the cookies with 11% of sugar beet fibers three weeks of storage. The cookies containing 9% of Fibrex has the best antioxidant properties (IC50 0.58 g/ml) after six weeks of storage.