Sustainable Incorporation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Powder into Flour-Based Systems: Investigating Its Influence on Flour Pasting Properties, Dough Physical Properties, and Baked Product Quality

<i>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</i> serves as a sustainable and high-quality protein source. In this study, <i>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</i> powder (CRP) was used to replace wheat flour at proportions of 0% (C0), 2.5% (C2.5), 5% (C5), 7.5% (C7.5), and 10% (C10) for the production of soda crackers and cookies. The study compared the pasting and farinographic properties of wheat flour with that of CRP and found that C2.5 demonstrated optimal performance in terms of stretching energy and stretching ratio. Regarding the expansion ratios of soda crackers and cookies, C2.5 achieved the highest value compared to C5, C7.5, C10, and had no significant difference compared to C0. The incorporation of CRP resulted in an increase in the <i>L</i>* value and whiteness index (WI), a reduction in the chromaticity value (C*), and a noticeable shift towards a greener hue in the overall color. This study offers a thorough exploration and establishes a robust theoretical foundation for baked foods enriched with CRP.