Water Activity, Color, and Sensory Properties of Cookies Made with Protein-Adjusted Wheat Flour and Gembili (Dioscorea esculenta) or Ganyong (Canna edulis Kerr.) Flour Substitution

This study evaluates the physicochemical and sensory properties of soft cookies formulated with composite flours from gembili (Dioscorea esculenta) and ganyong (Canna edulis Kerr.) as partial substitutes for wheat flour.Four cookie formulations were prepared using 100% low-protein wheat flour, 100% mediumprotein wheat flour, a 1:1 blend of medium-protein wheat flour and gembili flour, and a 1:1 blend of medium-protein wheat flour and ganyong flour.The cookies were analyzed for water activity (aw), color parameters (L*, a*, b*), organoleptic attributes (color, aroma, taste, texture), and overall hedonic acceptability.Results showed no significant differences in aw across treatments.Color analysis revealed darker coloration in cookies with gembili and ganyong flour, attributed to browning reactions and polyphenol content.Sensory evaluations indicated that cookies with 100% wheat flour (P1 and P2) had higher acceptability in taste, texture, and overall preference.Cookies containing tuber flours (P3 and P4) exhibited bitter taste, darker color, and harder texture, reducing consumer preference.These findings suggest that although gembili and ganyong flours offer potential as local alternative ingredients, optimization of their usage levels and pretreatments is necessary to enhance the sensory quality and consumer acceptance of cookies.