Iron supplementation through partial replacement of wheat flour with chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and chicken liver powder: Formulation optimization via iron-content, sensory, and shelf-life assessments

Anemia is a global health condition affecting infants and pregnant women, and one of its most common causes is iron deficiency. Iron is an essential nutrient for children ages 6 and 11. In several countries, governments counter iron deficiency by promoting mineral fortification of widely consumed foods. In this study, we evaluated the acceptability of a flour formula composed of chickpea flour and chicken liver powder as iron sources, partially replacing wheat flour in a sweet bread (muffin) preparation. In the first part of our experiment, three formulations with variable shares of chickpea and chicken liver powder were presented to a children’s taste panel to assess odor, color, texture, and product acceptability, identifying the most acceptable substitution formulation (consisting of 65% chickpea flour, 5% chicken liver, and 30% wheat flour). The control recipe consisted of 100% wheat flour. The second part of the experiment evaluated product durability following three storage dates after preparation (1 day, 8 days, and 15 days). The attributes of color, texture, and flavor degraded slightly over time, and odor varied markedly in disproportion with storage time. The selected formulation can serve as an iron supplement without affecting the hedonistic perception of the final product made with it.