Foods · 4 authors, 2 centres
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This study used rational food design to create chickpea-rice biscuits targeting micronutrient deficiencies in adolescents, finding that increasing chickpea flour improves nutritional content but may negatively affect texture and flavor. The main limitation is that the study did not assess antinutritional factors or long-term health impacts.
Adolescents aged 11-14 years are at risk for micronutrient deficiencies, and snacks can contribute to daily intake. Chickpea flour is rich in protein, fiber, and minerals like iron and zinc, making it suitable for improving snack nutrition. Methods: The study applied rational food design based on EFSA dietary reference values for adolescents, formulating four biscuit types with varying chickpea-to-rice flour ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75). Nutritional composition, instrumental texture (mechanical and acoustic properties), sensory evaluation by a trained panel, and consumer tasting with 33 adolescents were analyzed. Key Results: Increasing chickpea flour content improved nutritional profile, with protein ranging from 7.71% to 13.92% and minerals like iron from 1.26 to 3.39 mg/100g. However, texture became harder, grittier, and more chewy. Sensory analysis showed differences in attributes like crunchiness and fragility. Consumer tasting revealed that 52% of adolescents liked the overall quality, but flavor and texture were negatively perceived, with 55% unable to identify chickpea flavor. Limitations: The study did not assess antinutritional factors, long-term health effects, or broader dietary impacts. Sensory evaluation was limited to one sample, and the consumer group was small (33 participants). Implications: Rational food design can create nutrient-dense snacks, but optimization of texture and flavor is needed for adolescent acceptance. Future work should include multidisciplinary approaches such as imaging technologies and physiological responses.
