Enrichment of Protein and Antioxidants of Cupcake with Moringa (Moringa oleifera) Leaf Powder and Sensorial Acceptability

Abstract

Moringa oleifera plants have an extensive range of bioactive compounds (carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, lipids and fatty acids, proteins and functional peptides). These molecules may be included in several food matrices, such as bakery products, to improve their nutritional values. For that, the aim of this study was to replace the part of wheat flour with 1%, 2.5%, 5% and 10% of moringa leaf powder in cupcakes, assessing their antioxidant capacity, protein content and sensorial acceptability. The results showed that proteins and antioxidant capacity directly increased with moringa content. However, according to the tasters, these moringa-rich cupcakes were too dark.