Enhancing Dietary Fiber in Gluten-Free Cakes: The Potential of Date and Olive Seed Powders

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the dietary fiber content and sensory properties of gluten-free cakes enriched with date seed powder and olive seed powder for individuals with celiac disease.

Material and Method: Three different cake formulations were prepared; the control group contained only gluten-free flour, and the other two formulations had half of the flour replaced with seed powders. Total dietary fiber content was analyzed using the NMKL 129–AOAC method. Sensory evaluation was conducted with 15 panelists using a 5-point Likert scale, assessing volume, texture, chewiness, softness, pore structure, aroma, odor, taste, color, and overall acceptability.

Results: Cakes containing date seed powder (17.79%) and olive seed powder (16.27%) had significantly higher dietary fiber content compared to the control cake (5.47%). The gluten-free control cake received the highest scores for texture, chewiness, softness, volume, and overall acceptability (p<0.05). The cake with date seed powder showed moderate acceptance, whereas the cake with olive seed powder received the lowest scores for these attributes. No significant differences were observed among samples in terms of pore structure, color, odor, and flavor (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Date seed powder appears to be a promising ingredient for enhancing the dietary fiber content of gluten-free products. However, increasing substitution levels may negatively affect certain sensory properties. Optimization of formulation parameters, particularly substitution level and particle size, is essential to achieve a balance between nutritional improvement and sensory acceptability