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Defatted sunflower seed flour (DSSF) is an upcycled by-product of sunflower oil extraction, rich in protein, fibre and antioxidants. This study assessed the instrumental and sensory quality of biscuits enriched with DSSF at 18% and 36% w/w as a replacement for wheat flour. Measurements included colour, texture, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity. Sensory analysis was carried out with Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA). The inclusion of DSSF significantly increased the protein content of the biscuits, as well as the TPC and antioxidant capacity of the biscuits. The resulting products were significantly darker, less red and less yellow with increasing DSSF levels, while hardness (measured instrumentally) increased. Sensory results agreed with colour measurements, concluding that DSSF biscuits were more “Brown” than the control, and with texture measurements where biscuits with 36% DSSF had a significantly firmer bite. In addition, DSSF biscuits at 36% inclusion had higher QDA scores for “Off-note” and the lowest scores for “Crumbly” and “Crumb aeration”. DSSF biscuits at 18% inclusion were similar to the control in most parameters and should be considered for further developments. These results show the potential of the upcycled DSSF by-product as a novel, sustainable and healthy food ingredient.

BackgroundWithin the context of circular economy, there is an emergent need to convert food processing by-products into useful ingredients, thanks also to the recent technological advances in processing techniques. Extruded cereal-based snacks are popular products, however many snacks on the market are currently high in salt, fat and sugar, with an overall low nutritional value. Scope and approachWith the growth of healthy and sustainable diets and with consumers better understanding the links between diet, health and the environment, there is an opportunity to develop novel healthy and eco-friendly extruded snacks. Within this context, food industry by-products, such as fruit and vegetable pomace and bagasse, oilseed cakes, brewers spent grains, cereal brans and whey, could be used as excellent sources of nutritionally enhancing and eco-friendly compounds. This review summarizes the research published within the last five years on cereal-based snacks produced using food by-products. Key Findings and ConclusionsThe production of extruded snacks with food by-products will need novel technologies that limit heat damage, both during drying of the food by-product and the extrusion process. The percentage of by-product inclusion and the particle size of the by-product added require further investigation. The economic sustainability and the environmental impact of snacks produced with food by-products should be explored in a more holistic approach. Current research is focussed mainly on reformulation strategies rather than sensory or consumer aspects. These gaps needs to be addressed and future research on extruded snacks from by-products should be more multidisciplinary, covering technical, sensory, consumer, economic and sustainability aspects.

Nowadays, there is a growing interest to add value to food industry by-products and incorporate 26 them as new ingredients for novel food products. However, there is very little knowledge about consumers' reactions towards novel food products made with upcycled ingredients. This 28 manuscript provides the first critical scientific investigation of UK consumers' preferences for 29 novel food products made with upcycled ingredients using four attributes: price (£0.40/300 g pack 30 or £1.50/300 g pack), flour ("with wheat flour" or "with upcycled sunflower"), protein ("source of 31 protein" or no information) and Carbon Trust label ("with Carbon Trust label" or no label). Using a 32 hypothetical ranking experiment involving biscuits, results showed that consumers prefer biscuits 33 made with conventional (i.e., wheat) flour and tend to reject biscuits made with upcycled sunflower 34 flour. Results suggest there is heterogeneity in consumers' valuation, with three groups identified: 35 the first group with price sensitive consumers and the strongest preferences for low price biscuits, 36 the second group with traditionalist consumers and strongest rejection for upcycled sunflower-37 flour, the third group with environmentalist consumers and the strongest preference for biscuits 38 with the Carbon Trust label. Most consumers had not heard of upcycled ingredients before, but 39 they would consider buying foods with upcycled ingredients. These findings provide insights into 40 the psychology of consumers' preferences, which can be used to most effectively communicate the 41 benefits of upcycled ingredients to the public. This will also have important implications for future 42 labelling strategies for policy makers providing valuable insights to upcycled food products' 43 manufacturers.