Chemical composition, sensory attributes and in vivo anti-diabetic effects of wheat- walnut composite flour-based croissants on streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats

• Functional croissant can be prepared from wheat-walnut. • Wheat-walnut croissant lowers sugar level in diabetic rat. • Wheat-walnut croissant is generally acceptable by panelist. In this study, chemical, sensory and in vivo anti-diabetic effects of wheat-African walnut (AW) composite flour-based croissants in Wistar rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes was determined. The produced croissant snacks decreased the fasting blood sugar levels in the Wistar rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes by 34.7 and 54.13 % after administration relative to the untreated diabetic group at day 7 and 14, respectively. Administration of the croissant snacks to the STZ-induced rats also increased the plasma insulin (17.8 %) while diminishing the fructose-1–6-biphosphatase activity (27.8 %) in the rats due to an increase in their plasma insulin concentration. There is an increased in protein content of croissant snacks and the snacks were generally accepted by the panelists. The study established that croissant snacks from a wheat-African walnut composite flour blend possessed good glycemic control of diabetes mellitus that could further prevent the liver from oxidative damage.