Cookie is a popular food medium for nutrient fortification. They are easy to prepare and carry, ready to eat products consumed by people of all age groups. Chia and quinoa seeds have attained recent scientific attention amongst consumers due to their potential health promoting effects. In this study, chia and quinoa seed flours were used to substitute refined wheat flour in cookie doughs at 5%, 10% and 15% substitution levels. Six composite cookies, coded as C-5%, C-10%, C-15%, Q-5%, Q-10% and Q-15% were prepared. Significant differences in physical, physicochemical and nutritional properties were observed. Diameter and spread ratio decreased due to increased fiber and protein content causing flour granulation. This also increased cookie hardness. Rise in the level of omega-3 fatty acid was evident from gas chromatography analyses. The developed cookies were rich in phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidants. Sensory analysis data indicated overall acceptability of all the substituted cookie samples to be above the level of 6 in a 9-point hedonic scale. Based on the identified sensory and nutritional attributes, C-10% and Q-15% were considered to be the best substituted samples. Both the cookies could be stored in sealed polypropylene pouches at room temperature for 60 days without any significant alteration in texture. Rancidity development was inhibited by chia and quinoa antioxidants. No microbial load was recorded in aqueous extracts of freshly prepared and after storage. Analysis of significant difference between all the results was carried out by Duncan’s multiple range tests at a significance level of 0.05. The present study indicated that chia and quinoa substituted cookies can be used as a protein, FFA and antioxidant enriched commercial product with better than average sensory properties.

Ready-to-eat porridges are prepared from cereal flours. Pregelatinization of the starch component results in high hygroscopicity of porridge flours resulting in easy reconstitution. Chia and quinoa seeds are popular due to their health-promoting nutritional composition and functionality. In this study, 10%, 15 % and 20% of a pregelatinized low amylose ready-to-eat rice flour were substituted with a 1:1 mixture of chia and quinoa seed flours. Analysis of the significant difference between all the results was carried out by Duncan’s multiple range test at a significance level of 0.05. Substitution significantly enhanced levels of proteins, dietary fibres, iron, calcium, potassium, sodium and zinc. Palmitic, stearic and oleic acids were proportionately higher than lesser significant changes in linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid. Although thermal destruction caused a marked reduction of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, the relative rise in ferric and cupric ion reducing the antioxidant potentials suggested the probable formation of Maillard compounds with radical scavenging properties. Chia seed mucilage was found to play a critical role in thickness and viscosity development in the optimally reconstituted porridges. Supporting results were also obtained from the texture analysis of the porridges. However, the mucilage was observed to be sensitive to high cooking temperature resulting in lower cold paste viscosity in the rapid viscosity analysis study. The roasted aroma in porridges was more acknowledged. Substitution level of 20% gave an overall sensory score below the set acceptance level. Hence, porridge mixes prepared from the rice flour substituted up to 15% with the flour mix was sensorily acceptable, rich in macro and micronutrients and can serve as a therapeutic diet for infants, old-aged and patients with poor digestive systems.

No abstract