BAKING AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF MUFFINS INCORPORATED WITH APPLE SKIN POWDER

Apple fruit skin, a rich source of dietary fiber and phenolics, is a by-product of apple processing. The feasibility of incorporating dried apple skin powder (ASP) as a value-added food ingredient in bakery food products using a model system of muffins was investigated. The blanched, dehydrated and ground ASP was incorporated into muffins at 0, 4, 8, 16, 24 or 32% (w/w) levels with replacement of equivalent amount of wheat flour of a standard muffin mixture. The highest level of replacement (32% w/w) had a significant adverse effect on the baking characteristics. A taste panel of 66 panelists showed that the replacement of wheat flour with 8, 16 or 24% ASP in the muffin mixture did not affect the overall acceptability. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Identification of ways to incorporate apple skins, one of the by-products of apple pie and sauce manufacturing, as a health food ingredient in human diet could provide many health benefits. Furthermore, better use of the by-product will also provide benefits to the apple industry as well as solutions for environment concerns associated with disposal. The results of the present study indicate that blanched and dehydrated apple skin powder (ASP) could be considered as an alternative dietary fiber source or specialty food ingredient for muffins. Therefore, the potential for the industrial exploitation of ASP as a health food ingredient for the bakery industry and selected functional foods is promising.