Utilization of residual bael pulp to prepare nutritionally enhanced cookies

Abstract The study aims to demonstrate the nutritional value of residual bael ( Aegle marmelos ) pulp (remaining after juice extraction) and a new application of such an underexplored fruit byproduct as a constituent to enhance the nutritional value of cookies. The residual bael was dried and ground into a powder. Proximate composition, physicochemical properties, and overall bioactive content of the residual pulp powder (RPP) were analyzed. The weight balance of bael fruit was described, with 37.6% peels, 3.4% seeds, and 59% pulp. The moisture content of fresh pulp was 72.9%, and RPP was 12.1%. The RPP was rich in crude fiber (29.9% w/w), total phenolic content (TPC, 37.8 mg GAE/g), antioxidant capacity (AOC, 2.6 mg GAEAC/g), and total carotenoid content (TCC, 0.82 mg BCE/g). Five recipes of cookies were prepared by supplementing with RPP replacing 0–20% of the wheat flour (WF) in the formulation. As RPP content increased, moisture content, ash content, crude fat, crude fiber, total carbohydrate, calorific value, TPC, TCC, and AOC increased. According to the sensory acceptance (with fuzzy solution), the top three recipes were; cookie-3 (10% RPP) < cookie-1 (0% RPP) < cookie-2 (5% RPP). The order of relative importance of sensory attributes reveals taste & texture as most important. With a rise in RPP substitution, the spread ratio of the cookies improved, hardness reduced, and fracturability decreased. Based on maximum nutritional enhancement, sensory scoring, textural acceptance, and optimum amount of RPP replacement was within 5–10% replacement of WF with RPP.