Formulation, Physicochemical, and Sensory Evaluation of Cookies Prepared from Sacha Inchi Oil Meal (SIOM)

Due to its substantial amounts of essential amino acids and protein, sacha inchi oil meal (SIOM) is ideal for producing protein-rich food. This study developed the cookies by blending SIOM with wheat flour at 5, 10, 20, and 30% (w/w), respectively. Physical properties, proximate composition, and sensory study were evaluated on the cookies. Data showed that 10% of wheat flour-SIOM cookies had the highest protein content (13.03%) compared to wheat flour cookies (4.89%). Cookies made with 20 and 30% SIOM were also feasible as the crude fiber content was high (48%). The hardness of wheat flour-SIOM incorporated cookies was lower (2.52-3.22 N) than wheat flour cookies (3.30 N). The water activity value of all the cookie samples during the 30-day storage was less than 0.6, indicating that the product was stable. Sensory analysis showed that the panelists preferred 10% SIOM-blend cookies over commercial cookies because of their better color, sweetness, texture, and appearance. Moreover, the overall acceptability of SIOM cookies was greater than 6 on a 9-point hedonic scale. This study concludes that SIOM can be a functional food ingredient that can help develop healthier bakery products.