Effect of Dietary Fiber Enrichment on Quality Characteristics and Consumer Acceptance of Fruit Snacks

Abstract

In this study, different fiber sources such as inulin, peas and carrots were used to produce fruit snacks enriched with dietary fiber. The effect of these fiber sources on the proximate composition, pH, titratable acidity, water activity, color, texture, total phenolic content, microbial load, and sensory acceptability of fruit snacks was determined. Results showed that fruit snacks enriched with inulin (5.0%) had the highest content of total dietary fiber while snacks enriched with carrot fiber (5.0%) had the highest total phenolic content. The moisture content of fruit snacks with different fibers decreased in comparison to control snacks as fiber was added into their formulation. Moreover, the water activity values of fruit snacks (aw) were lower than 0.7, indicating a low risk for bacterial growth and affirming a favorable shelf life. Compared to control snacks, increasing the dietary fiber addition from 2.5 to 5.0% significantly increased the hardness, gumminess and chewiness values of fruit snacks. The microbiological analysis of fruit snacks indicated that snacks were safe. Additionally, results showed that fruit snacks (2.5%) enriched with inulin and pea fiber were found to have higher sensory acceptability scores than others.