Investigating the physicochemical and sensory properties of functional cupcake enriched with the combination of chia seed (Saliva hispanica L.) and psyllium husk (Plantago ovate L.) flour

Today, the enrichment of baking products has drawn the attention of many manufacturers. Chia seed and psyllium husk are considered rich sources of various active compounds, especially hydrocolloids and dietary fiber. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the effect of replacing a part of wheat flour in cupcake formulation with the combination of chia seed (CSF) and psyllium husk flour (PHF) on the chemical composition and quality characteristics of the cake to produce a functional product. Different levels of CSF and PHF combinations including 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% were used in the cake formulation, and the viscosity and density of the cake batter, as well as the physicochemical and sensory properties of the cake samples, were tested. The results showed that increasing the level of substitution of flour led to a significant increase in viscosity (15%) and a decrease in the density of cake batter (p<0.05). Increasing the levels of CSF and PHF also significantly increased the protein, fat, ash, moisture, and fiber of samples and decreased the hardness of texture (p<0.05). Cakes containing 5 and 10% replacement had a higher specific volume than the control, and the specific volume of the cake containing 15% replacement was similar to the control. The addition of CSF and PHF by maintaining moisture and reducing the rate of hardening of the samples during the storage period reduced the rate of staling of the enriched samples compared to the control. Based on the sensory evaluation results, the cakes containing 0, 5, 10, and 15% flour replacement had high acceptance. In general, according to these results, it can be concluded that 15% of wheat flour in the cupcake formulation can be replaced with a combination of CSF and PHF to produce a functional product rich in fiber