Exploring Sorghum Flour as a Sustainable Ingredient in Gluten-Free Cookie Production

In this study, whole grain sorghum flour was used to partially substitute the gluten-free flour blend in cookie formulation at 20% (C20) and 40% (C40) replacement levels. The goal was to explore its potential to improve the nutritional value and sensory appeal of cookies relative to conventional and...

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Main Authors: Simona Bukonja, Jelena Tomić, Mladenka Pestorić, Nikola Maravić, Saša Despotović, Zorica Tomičić, Biljana Kiprovski, Nebojša Đ. Pantelić
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Foods
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/15/2668
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author Simona Bukonja
Jelena Tomić
Mladenka Pestorić
Nikola Maravić
Saša Despotović
Zorica Tomičić
Biljana Kiprovski
Nebojša Đ. Pantelić
author_facet Simona Bukonja
Jelena Tomić
Mladenka Pestorić
Nikola Maravić
Saša Despotović
Zorica Tomičić
Biljana Kiprovski
Nebojša Đ. Pantelić
author_sort Simona Bukonja
collection DOAJ
description In this study, whole grain sorghum flour was used to partially substitute the gluten-free flour blend in cookie formulation at 20% (C20) and 40% (C40) replacement levels. The goal was to explore its potential to improve the nutritional value and sensory appeal of cookies relative to conventional and commercially available gluten-free alternatives. Nutritional analysis revealed that cookies with added sorghum flour showed increased levels of protein, ash, and polyphenolic compounds, while maintaining favorable macronutrient profiles. Notably, several bioactive compounds, such as gallic acid, caffeic acid, and apigenin, were detected exclusively in sorghum-containing samples, suggesting enhanced functional properties. Despite these compositional changes, textural measurements showed no significant differences in hardness or fracturability compared with the control. Sensory profiling using the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) method demonstrated that both samples (C20 and C40) achieved balanced results in terms of aroma as well as texture and were generally well accepted by the panel. The results indicate that moderate inclusion of sorghum flour (20% and 40%) can improve the sensory and nutritional profiles of gluten-free cookies without compromising product acceptability. Sorghum thus offers a promising pathway for the development of high-quality, health-oriented, gluten-free bakery products.
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spelling doaj-art-8dccb067a9424056b8a3dd85b940498b2025-08-20T03:02:48ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-07-011415266810.3390/foods14152668Exploring Sorghum Flour as a Sustainable Ingredient in Gluten-Free Cookie ProductionSimona Bukonja0Jelena Tomić1Mladenka Pestorić2Nikola Maravić3Saša Despotović4Zorica Tomičić5Biljana Kiprovski6Nebojša Đ. Pantelić7Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Food Technology in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Food Technology in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Food Technology in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaFaculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute of Food Technology in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaInstitute of Field and Vegetable Crops, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaFaculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, SerbiaIn this study, whole grain sorghum flour was used to partially substitute the gluten-free flour blend in cookie formulation at 20% (C20) and 40% (C40) replacement levels. The goal was to explore its potential to improve the nutritional value and sensory appeal of cookies relative to conventional and commercially available gluten-free alternatives. Nutritional analysis revealed that cookies with added sorghum flour showed increased levels of protein, ash, and polyphenolic compounds, while maintaining favorable macronutrient profiles. Notably, several bioactive compounds, such as gallic acid, caffeic acid, and apigenin, were detected exclusively in sorghum-containing samples, suggesting enhanced functional properties. Despite these compositional changes, textural measurements showed no significant differences in hardness or fracturability compared with the control. Sensory profiling using the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) method demonstrated that both samples (C20 and C40) achieved balanced results in terms of aroma as well as texture and were generally well accepted by the panel. The results indicate that moderate inclusion of sorghum flour (20% and 40%) can improve the sensory and nutritional profiles of gluten-free cookies without compromising product acceptability. Sorghum thus offers a promising pathway for the development of high-quality, health-oriented, gluten-free bakery products.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/15/2668gluten-free cookiessorghum flourbioactive compoundsRATA methodsensory evaluationfunctional food
spellingShingle Simona Bukonja
Jelena Tomić
Mladenka Pestorić
Nikola Maravić
Saša Despotović
Zorica Tomičić
Biljana Kiprovski
Nebojša Đ. Pantelić
Exploring Sorghum Flour as a Sustainable Ingredient in Gluten-Free Cookie Production
Foods
gluten-free cookies
sorghum flour
bioactive compounds
RATA method
sensory evaluation
functional food
title Exploring Sorghum Flour as a Sustainable Ingredient in Gluten-Free Cookie Production
title_full Exploring Sorghum Flour as a Sustainable Ingredient in Gluten-Free Cookie Production
title_fullStr Exploring Sorghum Flour as a Sustainable Ingredient in Gluten-Free Cookie Production
title_full_unstemmed Exploring Sorghum Flour as a Sustainable Ingredient in Gluten-Free Cookie Production
title_short Exploring Sorghum Flour as a Sustainable Ingredient in Gluten-Free Cookie Production
title_sort exploring sorghum flour as a sustainable ingredient in gluten free cookie production
topic gluten-free cookies
sorghum flour
bioactive compounds
RATA method
sensory evaluation
functional food
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/15/2668
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