Flour Functionality, Nutritional Composition, and In Vitro Protein Digestibility of Wheat Cookies Enriched with Decolourised Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder

Abstract

This study investigated the potential of decolourised Moringa oleifera leaf powder (D-MOLP) in cookies to meet consumer demand for healthier food options, addressing the issue of low acceptability due to its green colour. D-MOLP and its non-decolourised counterpart (ND-MOLP) were incorporated into wheat flour to produce cookies. The results showed that neither decolourisation nor addition level (2.5 or 7.5%) significantly affected water activity or flour functionality, though slight differences in cookie colour were observed. The Moringa-enriched cookies exhibited an improved spread ratio as well as higher protein, phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and in vitro protein digestibility compared to control cookies. The detected phenolic acids included chlorogenic, ferulic, and fumaric acids, with the D-MOLP cookies showing superior nutritional properties, likely due to nutrient concentration and reduced antinutrients. Notably, glutamic acid was the major amino acid in all the cookies, but only lysine significantly increased across the cookie types. This suggests D-MOLP could be a promising alternative for food enrichment. Future research should address the consumer acceptability, volatile components, and shelf-life of D-MOLP-enriched cookies.