Changes in quality characteristics and inactivation of <i>Salmonella</i> in cake, including oleogel used as a fat replacer, baked with two different methods

This is the first study to assess the impact of substitution of shortening (50%) with sunflower-beeswax oleogel in cake formulations on the inactivation kinetics of Salmonella spp. and the quality attributes of cakes baked in conventional (CO) and microwave (MWO) ovens. Four distinct cake samples were examined in the study: Cake samples containing oleogel prepared in two different ovens (Oleo-Cake-CO and Oleo-Cake-MWO) and control cake samples baked in two different ovens (Cont-Cake-CO and Cont-Cake-MWO). The control-batter and oleogel-batter demonstrated shear thinning behavior (pseudoplastic, n < 1), with a good fit to the Power Law model, but viscosity and viscoelastic moduli decreased when the oleogel was used in place of shortening in cake recipes. In addition, the Cont-Cake-MWO had the greatest special volume value (2.31 ± 0.04 mL/g), whereas the Oleo-Cake-CO had the lowest (1.65 ± 0.02 mL/g) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, compared to the samples baked with CO, lower water activity and moisture values (p < 0.05) were observed in the samples baked in MWO due to their higher cooking loss values (p < 0.05). In all baking techniques, the addition of oleogel to the cake formula, used as a fat substitute, resulted in higher values for cohesiveness, hardness, springiness, and chewiness (p < 0.05). As a result, the inactivation of Salmonella in cakes slightly reduced with using oleogel as a fat substitute (p > 0.05), whereas it affected some quality properties of cakes baked with both heat treatments.