Evaluation of Nutritional, Antioxidant, Oxidative Stability, and Consumer Acceptability of Biscuits Incorporated With Cashew Apple Pomace Powder

Abstract

The cashew apple pomace (CAP) is a by-product of the cashew fruit, rich in fiber, minerals, and bioactive compounds. The study is aimed at preparing biscuits incorporated with 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% cashew apple pomace powder (CAPP) and evaluating the nutritional, oxidative stability, color, antioxidant, and organoleptic properties. CAPP showed higher ash (2.15 ± 0.14 g/100 g), protein (10.31 ± 0.11 g/100 g), fiber (14.80 ± 0.10 g/100 g), fat (5.58 ± 0.02 g/100 g), total phenolic content (640 ± 0.04 mg GAE/100 g), and DPPH antioxidant activity (485.36 ± 0.05 mg TEAC/100 g) than the wheat flour. The ash, fat, protein, and total energy content of the enriched biscuits increased significantly (p < 0.05), while total carbohydrates, moisture, reducing sugar, and L∗ markedly reduced with increasing incorporation of CAPP. Aside from cobalt, mineral levels, including copper, zinc, manganese, and iron, were significantly higher than in the control, with cadmium and lead remaining within safe limits as CAPP increasingly replaced wheat flour. The oxidative stability of the enriched biscuits improved 1.5–2.79 times than that of the control biscuits as CAPP incorporation increased (p < 0.05). The enriched biscuit had significantly higher total phenolics, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and DPPH antioxidant activity than the control biscuits. Substituting wheat flour with up to 10% CAPP resulted in the highest scores for color, taste, appearance, and overall acceptability. Thus, CAPP-enriched biscuits can be produced with enhanced nutrients, antioxidant properties, and high consumer acceptance.