Study of the Total Phenolic Content, Total Antioxidant Activity and In Vitro Digestibility of Novel Wheat Crackers Enriched with Cereal, Legume and Agricultural By-Product Flours

Abstract

Wheat-flour crackers represent a staple snack option, although they lack nutritional value. Agricultural by-products such as olive and grape seeds, cereals such as barley and legumes such as lupine and chickpea are rich in bioactive compounds; therefore, flours obtained from those could represent a better option for bakery products fortification. The purpose of the present study was the investigation of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity before and after the baking of wheat crackers enriched with 10–30% olive seed, 10–30% grape seed, 10–40% lupine, 10–30% barley and 20–60% and 80% chickpea flours and the evaluation of the predicted bioavailability after in vitro digestion of crackers demonstrating the highest values. Crackers and doughs were processed and analyzed using Folin–Ciocâlteu and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, respectively. Crackers with the highest properties were subjected to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Baking resulted in an increase in total phenolics and antioxidant activity in the majority of crackers. Olive and grape seed flour crackers demonstrated the highest antioxidant properties. Following in vitro digestion, 30% olive seed flour crackers retained the majority of polyphenols and antioxidant activity. Crackers enriched with 30% olive seed flour could represent a healthy functional bakery snack regarding their increased antioxidant properties.

Effect of Acute Consumption of Crackers Enriched with Grape Seed Flour or Barley Flour with Added β-Glucan on Biomarkers of Postprandial Glycemia, Lipidemia, and Oxidative Stress: A Crossover Study

“…The composition of the functional meals was the same as the control meal, except that they contained 55 gr of the enriched crackers (either 10% grape seed flour crackers or 40% barley flour crackers enriched with β-glucan, 3 pieces). The 10% grape seed flour crackers were formulated according to the recipe mentioned in a previous publication of our research team, whereas the 40% barley flour crackers were formulated using the recipe found in the same publication but with the addition of β-glucan in order to receive 3 gr β-glucan/3 crackers and meet the EFSA health claim [41]. Each meal weighed 165 g. The nutritional composition of the meals is shown in Table 1.…”

High-Fiber Crackers Supplemented with Asparagus Hard-Stem: Impacts of Supplementation Ratios and Water Amounts in Cracker Recipe on the Product Quality

“…Wheat crackers are rich in starch but poor in dietary fiber and antioxidants; as a result, their nutritional composition is not well balanced [Ujong et al, 2023]. and antioxidants from by-product flours of the agri-food industry to improve their health effects [Chatziharalambous et al, 2023].…”