The aim of the present study was to determine the increase in the nutrient and bioactive compounds of cookies obtained by using seven different ancient whole wheat flours (einkorn, emmer, spelt, old, and landrace) at the ratios of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. Although ancient grains are notorious for their poor technological properties, improvements in rheological performance using refined flour might contribute to the production of new functional foods.
Cookies evaluated physical, functional, and nutritional properties were dramatically improved by increasing the whole wheat flour ratio. The cookies with %100 Köse (old wheat) had a higher breaking strength while those from %100 Kavlıca (Emmer Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum) had the lowest one. The cookies with %100 Kavlıca had the highest insoluble and total dietary fiber, total phenolics, antioxidant activities, Ca, K, and Zn, while the phytic acid content was the lowest among all genotypes.
Landrace and old cultivars are valuable raw materials that are gaining popularity due to their distinctive qualities and products.
The use of ancient whole wheat flour-enriched cookies may present a novel cereal-based product with health benefits, in addition to being fit for production of foods made from whole grains.