Incorporation of Black Currant Pomace into Emulsions for Reducing Saturated Fat in Shortbread Cookies

Cookies are widely consumed bakery products valued for their pleasant taste and texture; however, their high fat content contributes significantly to their caloric density and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the development of alternatives for replacement of saturated and trans fatty acids in bakery goods has attracted considerable scientific interest. In this study, the potential application of structured emulsion supplemented with blackcurrant pomace (EBP) as saturated fat (margarine) replacer in shortbread cookies was investigated by employing black currant pomace/rapeseed oil/water (15/30/55 w/w/w) emulsion to replace margarine in cookies at 50 and 70% substitution; full-fat cookies were also tested as a control. With increasing EBP substitution level, the cookie diameter decreased, thickness and hardness increased, and a lower color lightness was noted. Meanwhile, total phenolic content was greater for the EBP-fortified cookies than the control. Nevertheless, the 50% margarine substituted cookie received acceptable ratings for odor, flavor, hardness, fragility, and overall acceptability by sensory evaluation. This indicates that the use of EBP as substitute of solid fats in cookies offers the advantage of producing healthier and more acceptable products depending on the degree of fat replacement.