Scientists develop a delicious, fluffy, and healthy muffin
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| The new super muffin offers health benefits due to its antioxidants, maintains freshness for up to six days at room temperature, and may contribute to increased nutritional value in certain food cultures. |
Do you love muffins? We’re referring to a delicious, fluffy muffin that is free from artificial additives and packed with nourishing nutrients.
It may sound too good to be true, but a recent study published in the journal Foods details the creation of this new and improved muffin.
From muffins to functional food
The new super muffin has been named Roselle, because it contains calyx extract from the tropical plant Hibiscus sabdariffa, which is often referred to by the same name.
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| Researchers tested different formulations of muffins containing a plant extract to see which variety appealed most. Credit: Nutritionally Enriched Muffins from Roselle Calyx Extract Using Response Surface Methodology. Foods. 2022; 11(24):3982. |
Hibiscus flowers have a beautiful red color, and the calyx extract contains many valuable bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, betaine, and hibiscus acid.
All of these components can be used to develop new products and functional food that may offer positive health effects, possibly also reducing the risk of chronic diseases shows that Roselle muffins maintain their freshness for up to six days at room temperature, but with so many beneficial qualities, chances are they will be long gone by then.
Health benefits
The study is part of Re-FOOD,
a Norwegian-Indian collaborative project focusing on using and enhancing the
value of rest raw materials of food processing.
- The muffin-study is part of the
Re-FOOD project, and INTPART-project funded by the Research Council of
Norway.
- INTPART is an abbreviation for
International Partnerships for Excellent Education, Research, and
Innovation
- The project builds collaboration
between Norwegian and Indian research, education, and innovation.
- The aim is to achieve the highest
possible utilization of resources in the food value chain.
- RE-FOOD also focuses on the importance of natural plant extracts for color, durability, and health effects in the food of the future.
Professor
Nutan Kaushik at Amity University in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, points
out the health benefits of antioxidants, especially when it comes to
neutralizing free radicals, which can be an important contributing factor to
serious illnesses.
Prefer natural food coloring
Roselle is also rich in
anthocyanins. This is a dye that can be dissolved in water and yields a red,
pink, purple, blue, blue violet, or violet color. The color of food has a
strong influence on how appetizing we think it is.
Artificial dyes are often clearer and more intense than natural substances. But the demand for natural dyes is increasing because of the concern that artificial dyes are harmful to our health.
Tasty, nutritional, and long shelf-life
In the muffin
study, 30 people tested a total of 17 recipe variants.
The aim was to find the best
version of Roselle muffins relative to three important qualities:
- The muffin should have a taste and
texture that people like
- The muffin should have valuable
nutritional properties
- The muffin should have the best
possible shelf life without preservatives
Aim — the best possible response
The researchers measured and
surveyed the test subjects’ response to the pastry’s color, appearance, aroma,
texture, fluffiness, elasticity, freshness, and chewing resistance. The
researchers used the Response Surface Methodology, to model and analyze how the
test subjects’ reactions were affected by various factors. The aim of the
method is to achieve the most positive response to what is tested.
Natural food coloring — good for our cells
In terms of nutrition, the results suggest that the hibiscus extract provides muffins with high levels of antioxidants like phenolics. These are substances believed to be able to prevent processes in the body that can damage cell membranes or the genetic material in our cells. There are several thousand different phenols, most of which are found in fruit, juice, wine, cocoa, tea, coffee, vegetables, flax seed, whole grains, and legumes.
The muffin study
- Title: “Nutritionally Enriched
Muffins from Roselle Calyx Extract Using Response Surface Methodology.”
- The control muffins were based on a
standard vanilla muffin recipe.
- All ingredients were bought locally,
and the taste panel had 30 test subjects.
- Compared to the control muffin,
Roselle received the highest overall acceptability score (8.3).
- An average score of 7 or more on a
nine-point scale approaches what the researchers call an “extremely acceptable
sensory quality.”
- Products that achieve such a high
score will be close to the quality that food manufacturers want to offer.
- Compared to the control muffin, the
protein and fat content of the Roselle muffin was significantly lower. The
carbohydrate content was very similar.
- The ascorbic acid content was 12.1 mg/100 g. The recommended daily dose for adults is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men.
The Roselle
calyx extract obviously provides health benefits, but the muffin research is
primarily good news for those of us who already eat muffins. Because there are
some bitter tastes — figuratively speaking — in this muffin batter, in the form
of unhealthy sugar, saturated fat, and white flour.
Eva Falch is an associate professor at NTNU’s Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, and a co-author on the study. She doubts that Roselle would be able to be classified as healthy in Norway.
Underused resource
“Roselle calyx extract is an
underutilized resource, and the study primarily shows the potential of the
plant extract. The researchers use the muffin as a model to say something about
how ingredients and steps in the manufacturing process affect and change the
properties of the final product,” Falch says.
New possibilities
Classifications
and health recommendations, as well as taste and food culture, vary between
countries.
“In food cultures where baked
goods like this are part of the daily diet, Roselle muffins can contribute to
increased nutritional value. To make a healthy version, the whole composition
should be as good as possible, with little sugar, salt, saturated fat, and so
on,” said Falch, who is also head of the NTNU Food Forum.
Animal models and a start-up
A next step could be to test
this ingredient in products with a better nutritional profile, such as whole
grain products so that it can be part of a healthy diet.
Professor Nutan Kaushik, says the findings have helped in getting acceptance
among consumers as well as regulators.
“Next, we plan to study the health benefits on animal models and
launch a start-up company,” she says.
Moist muffins mold easily
Shelf life was the third
factor the researchers investigated. When dry and semi-dry baked goods such as
biscuits are left for too long, they can deteriorate both physically and
chemically. Muffins with higher moisture content, on the other hand, are more
vulnerable to bacteria, fermentation, and mold. Mold and mold spores are
destroyed by heat during baking, but as soon as the muffins are out of the
oven, they are exposed to airborne mold spores.
… but Roselle keeps fresh without
preservatives
Roselle muffins have no added preservatives. The beauty is that the antioxidant ascorbic acid is also found in the pastry. This is a chemical bond that can contribute to increased shelf life in food products.
And when it comes to the effects of ascorbic acid on the
human body, most of us know it by its common name, vitamin C. The tests showed
that Roselle kept well for six days at room temperature, with no signs of mold
or spores.
Reference:
“Nutritionally Enriched Muffins from Roselle Calyx Extract Using Response
Surface Methodology” by Sengnolotha Marak, Nutan Kaushik, Alexander Dikiy,
Elena Shumilina and Eva Falch, 8 December 2022, Foods.
DOI: 10.3390/foods11243982
The study was funded by the Research Council of Norway.
