Advancing Butter Cookie Quality: Low-Oxygen Baking as a Dual Approach for Sensory Enhancement and Acrylamide Mitigation

This study investigated the impact of oxygen concentrations during baking on flavor, sensory perception, and acrylamide content in butter cookies. Cookies were baked at 190 and 210 °C under three oxygen levels (5, 10, and 21%). Key quality parameters, including moisture content, texture, color, flavor volatiles, and acrylamide content, were measured, and sensory evaluation was conducted using 55 judges. Principal component analysis was implemented to elucidate relationships among physicochemical properties, aroma profiles, and safety metrics. Results demonstrated that baking under low oxygen concentrations significantly reduced acrylamide formation, exemplified by a reduction from 95.8 to 58.5 μg/kg at 190 °C and 116.6 to 53.1 μg/kg at 210 °C, respectively. Notably, baking at 190 °C with 5% oxygen was identified as the optimal condition, balancing sensory quality and safety by minimizing the formation of harmful substances. These findings provide a promising strategy for improving the safety and quality of baked goods through controlled oxygen levels during processing.