Improvement of dietary fiber content and antioxidant properties in soft dough biscuits with the incorporation of mango peel powder

Consumption of natural bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids and dietary fiber offers health benefits including protection against cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other degenerative diseases. Mango peel is a major by-product obtained during processing of mango products such as mango pulp and amchur. Currently, mango peel is discarded which contributes to environmental pollution. In the present study, mango peel was incorporated into biscuits and improvement in the nutraceutical properties of the biscuits was studied. The studies indicated that mango peel contained 51.2% of total dietary fiber, 96 mg GAE/g of polyphenols and 3092 mu g/g of carotenoids. Farinograph characteristics of the wheat flour incorporated with mango peel powder (MPP) showed an increase in water absorption from 60 to 68%. Soft dough biscuits were prepared using different levels (5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 15.0 and 20.0%) of MPP and objective, sensory and nutritional properties of the biscuits were evaluated. The total dietary fiber content increased from 6.5 to 20.7% with a high proportion of soluble dietary fiber with incorporation of 20% MPP. The content of polyphenols increased from 0.54 to 4.50 mg/g and carotenoid content increased from 17 to 247 mu g/g of biscuit with 20% incorporation of MPP. The biscuits incorporated with mango peel exhibited improved antioxidant properties. Acceptable biscuits with mango flavor were obtained by incorporating 10% MPP. Thus, the results indicated that wheat flour incorporated with MPP yielded dietary fiber enriched biscuits with improved antioxidant properties. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.