DefinePK

Abstract

The growing need for healthily nutritious snack food and the pressing need to alleviate food wastage have triggered interest in the use of agro-industrial by-products for innovative food development. This research aimed at the ingredients and quality assessment of crackers produced from vegetable pomace carrot and beetroot pomace and blended with chickpea flour. Carrot and beetroot pomaces, the sources of which are high in dietary fiber, antioxidants and bioactive chemicals like beta-carotene and betalains, were utilized as sustainable substrates to develop the nutritional aspect of the crackers. Chickpea flour, being a rich source of proteins and having a positive effect in baking, was chosen. In the study, it was considered to develop healthier snacks while promoting waste valorization and nutrition health. Sensory qualities and general acceptability were assessed by panel testing. Besides, physicochemical tests, moisture content, fiber content, and antioxidant activity were also carried out. The outcome suggested that crackers prepared with optimum levels of vegetable pomace and chickpea flour contained better sensory quality and greatly enhanced nutritional qualities than the traditional crackers. This research emphasizes the viability of using vegetable by-products in mainstream foods as a health-focused snacking option.