Tropical almond (Terminalia catappa) defatted press cake flour as an alternative protein source and its potential in cookie preparation

• Tropical almond defatted press cake (TADPCF) was rich in protein and minerals • TADPCF showed high phenolic and flavonoid contents with high antioxidant activity • Incorporation of TADPCF up to 50% was successful in cookie preparation • TADPCF is an alternative protein and a potential ingredient for future food products The cost, health and environmental issues related to animal protein production have led to the search for alternative protein sources. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of tropical almond ( Terminalia catappa ) defatted press cake flour (TADPCF) as an alternative protein source and its effect on the nutritional, sensory and textural properties of cookies. The protein content of TADPCF was as high as 41.94 g/100 g, and higher amount of K (1892.5), Ca (6187.5), and Fe (435.2) mg/kg was detected. The TADPCF contained 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, 2,3-dihydro 3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl 4H-pyran-4-one, Acetic acid, Formic acid and Methyl salicylate as the major volatile compounds while the FTIR spectrum further confirmed functional groups related to polysaccharides, fats and proteins. The 50% TADPCF cookies were highly preferred by sensory panelists and showed a significantly higher protein content (19.82%). Hence, TADPCF is a promising alternative protein source and has the potential of incorporating up to 50% for cookie production without significantly affecting the quality of the cookies.