UTILIZATION OF SOME PLANT MATERIAL EXTRACTS TO EXTEND THE SHELF LIFE OF CUPCAKES DURING STORAGE

Abstract

Natural bioactive compounds (antioxidants and antimicrobials) of three different plant materials (guava leaves, pomegranate peels, and turmeric powder) were extracted by different solvents (water, ethanol 70%, and ethyl acetate). The best plant extracts having high antioxidant activity were added to the cupcake blends to extend its shelf life. Cupcakes containing plant extracts were evaluated during storage for 28 days at room temperature (25 ± 2oC) through determination their chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties. The results indicated that ethanol 70% extracts of both guava leaves at concentration 10 mg/ ml and pomegranate peels at concentration 40 mg/ ml as well as ethyl acetate extracts of turmeric powder at concentration 20 mg/ ml had higher antioxidant activity than other extracts were added to the cupcake blends at concentration 0.5%. The cupcake with pomegranate peel ethanol extract had a lower (p ≤ 0.05) means of acid value (2.85 mg KOH/ gm oil), thiobarbituric acid value (0.45 mg malonldhyde/ kg sample), and peroxide value (3.41 meq O2/ kg oil) than other cupcake samples. Cupcakes with different plant extracts had a lower (p ≤ 0.05) means for total bacterial and coliform bacterial counts. Cupcake with pomegranate peel ethanol extract and cupcake with turmeric powder ethyl acetate extract had a lower (p ≤ 0.05) means for yeast and mold counts, while cupcake control sample had a highest (p ≤ 0.05) means of all microbiological examinations. The values of chemical and microbiological examinations for all cupcake samples at zero time of storage at room temperature were similar then were increased gradually with increasing the storage period. Cupcake control had a lowest (p ≤ 0.05) means in all sensory properties than other cupcakes with different plant materials extracts. No differences (p ≥ 0.05) were observed among all cupcake samples with different plant material extracts in their sensory properties except colour, and overall acceptability for cupcake samples with turmeric powder extract and α-tocopherol.