Effect of the partial replacement of wheat flour with a whole leave and a chloroplast-rich fraction derived from holy basil leaves on the nutrient composition, physical properties, and antioxidant activity of butter cookies

Abstract

Cookies are one of the most popular food products in the world. The demand for healthy and quality food products has encouraged interest in innovative food ingredients. With wheat flour as the main ingredient in cookies, they generally contain a low number of phytochemical compounds. To reduce wheat flour usage in cookies, innovative ingredients such as chloroplast-rich fraction (CRF) derived from holy basil leaves can be used as an alternative to increase the nutritional value. This research aimed to compare the nutritional components of the whole leaf (WL) and CRF from holy basil leaves. The variations of holy basil WL and CRF were 0% (control), 3% WL, 6% WL, 3% CRF and 6% CRF. The water activity, colour, spread ratio, texture, chlorophyll, carotenoid, phenolic compound, and antioxidant activity were evaluated in these butter cookies. The results showed that CRF derived from holy basil leaves had a higher amount of macro and micronutrients than WL, except for fibre and carbohydrates. The cookies substituted with 6% CRF had the darkest green colour. The cookies substituted with 6% WL containing higher fibre led to a decreased spread ratio and increased hardness of cookies. In addition, the replacement of wheat flour with holy basil WL and CRF can enhance nutritional and antioxidant values in bakery products. The butter cookies substituted with 6% WL showed the highest concentration of phenolic; the cookies substituted with 6% CRF had the highest contents of chlorophyll, carotenoid, and antioxidant activity.