Evaluating Quality Attributes of Cookies Produced from Oat and Wheat Flour Blends

Quality evaluation of cookies from oat flour was studied due to the high nutritional contents of oat cereal. In the study, oat and wheat flour were blended according to ratios of O (100:0), A (95:5), B (90:10), C (85:15), D (80:20), E (75:25), F (70:30) respectively. Cookies were baked in the oven, cooled and then packaged for analyses. Flour functional properties, proximate and mineral compositions, physical properties (colour, weight, diameter, spread ratio, thickness and breaking strength), textural properties and sensory evaluation of the cookies were determined with standard methods. Water and oil absorption capacity, swelling capacity and bulk density of wheat and oat flours were; 2.15ml/g and 2.33ml/g, 1.37ml/g and 1.41ml/g, 4.21ml/g and 4.31ml/g, 0.67ml/g and 0.77ml/g respectively. Moisture, protein, ash, crude fiber, crude fat and carbohydrate ranged from 5.73%-12.52%, 12.84%-18.74%, 2.62%-3.32%, 4.51%-5.41%, 12.56%-16.21%, 44.83%-60.29% respectively, for wheat and oat flours. Increased moisture content could have added to the sample weight. Spread ratio and break strength, lightness, redness and yellowness all decreased with increased addition of wheat flour. However, mineral contents decreased with increased addition of wheat flour, while the textural properties hardness, stringiness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness and chewiness decreased with addition of wheat flour. Sample with 95% oat flour and 5% wheat flour was better accepted amongst other samples. Use of oat flour in cookie production will improve nutritional quality and health benefits of cookies produced, as well as being a good substitute to wheat flour as main baking flour.