Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Faculty of Agriculture, Food Science and Technology Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
2
Faculty of Women for Arts, Science, and Education, Home Economics Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
3
Faculty of Agriculture, Genetics Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
4
Faculty of Home Economics, Nutrition and Food Science Department, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract
Egypt’s sugarcane industry is one of the oldest, with plantations concentrated in Upper Egypt. Sugarcane is considered a strategic crop.This study aimed to maximize utilization of sugarcane by-products by incorporating sugarcane fiber (bagasse) into cupcake formulations, partially replacing wheat flour.The research evaluated chemical composition, total polyphenol content, microbial stability, functional properties including water-holding capacity (WHC), weight change, area, volume, color and sensory attributes of sugarcane bagasse powder. The bagasse underwent drying, milling, sieving, and sterilization to produce a fine powder.Proximate analysis revealed moisture, protein, fat, and ash contents of 4.22 ± 0.14%, 1.18 ± 0.02%, 0.98 ± 0.10%, and 2.35 ± 0.00%, respectively, with a WHC of 6.05 ± 1.56 g/g, demonstrating its potential as a low-fat, high-fiber ingredient with excellent water-binding capacity.The powder also exhibited high polyphenol content, indicating strong antioxidant activity. Microbiological tests showed that cupcakes fortified with sugarcane fiber had lower bacterial counts than controls.This may be due to the fiber’s ability to bind water, reducing moisture availability for microbial growth.Color analysis indicated that replacing up to 25% of wheat flour with sugarcane fiber did not significantly affect product color (P>0.05).However, higher substitution levels caused noticeable changes (P<0.05), likely due to residual sugars and pigments in the bagasse that enhance crumb coloration and promote Maillard reactions during baking. Sensory evaluation showed improvements in overall acceptability, especially in color, for cupcakes enriched with sugarcane fiber compared to controls.These findings suggest sugarcane bagasse can be used in baked goods to improve nutritional value and sensory qualities without compromising quality
Keywords
Main Subjects
)
View on SCiNiTO