Introduction
This paper summarizes the article titled “Feasibility Study of Sucrose and Fat Replacement Using Inulin and Rebaudioside A in Cake Formulations” by Majzoobi et al. (2018). The authors begin with clarifying the intent of their study and state that the demand for healthier foods increases. They also claim that sugar and fat reduction or replacement requires compensating for the quality of cakes, which means that further studies are necessary.
Objective and Methods
To define the objective of their study, Majzoobi et al. (2018) provide a brief literature review. They state that the majority of recent studies focus on either fat or sucrose reduction, while their simultaneous replacement is not properly researched. Therefore, the authors decided to explore the feasibility of the simultaneous replacement of fat and sugar in cakes as healthier options. Namely, Rebaudioside A is taken as an alternative for sucrose, and inulin is used instead of fat.
The researchers used wheat flour from Tak Makacroon, inulin from Fibruline, sugar from Cosucra, and Rebaudioside Afrom Yunhe Stevioside. A series of experiments began with batter and cake preparation and the measurement of batter viscosity using a Rapid Visco Analyzer. After that, weight loss on baking was identified, and the calculation of volume, height, and symmetry index of the cakes was made. For example, cakes were cut in the middle to determine symmetry, while a rape seed displacement method was applied for measuring cake volumes. In addition, Majzoobi et al. (2018) explored the texture, color, and water activity of the cakes. A Texture Analyzer was used in a two-bite compression test to measure textural properties, while a digital image analysis method was chosen for analyzing crust colors of cakes. A metal spoon was used to crush small pieces and determine water activity in cakes. All these experiments were analyzed by means of statistical analysis, namely, Excel allowed calculating the average and standard deviations.
Results
The article presents detailed statistical findings that are properly discussed. The authors report that the simultaneous and significant replacement of fat and sugar is associated with quality reduction. The textural changes were more significant compared to color, volume, and baking loss of the cakes. 75% and 100% of replacement are considered infeasible due to their pale crust, low volume, asymmetry, and hard texture. Moreover, the storage for three days revealed the increasing hardness. Springiness, cohesiveness, and hardness were assessed based on fat and sucrose levels, namely, 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%. Majzoobi et al. (2018) state that their findings are only partially consistent with other studies, which is explained by different sources of sucrose and fat replacements used.
Conclusion
To conclude, this article contributes to the field of nutrition studies. The recommended replacement level of sugar and fat is 50%, but the textural and color properties of cakes can change. Personally, I have learned several methods that would be useful for my future research. It seems that the digital image analysis method would be important to analyze large amounts of data to obtain more reliable results. Another potential benefit of this method is its accuracy, which is critical to make sure that studies are rigorous. In addition, statistical analysis is useful for generating new data based on a range of initial data from different experiments. Likewise in the given study, I hope to explore my subject of interest from different points to make sure the findings are reliable.
Reference
Majzoobi, M., Mohammadi, M., Mesbahi, G., & Farahnaky, A. (2018). Feasibility study of sucrose and fat replacement using inulin and rebaudioside A in cake formulations. Journal of Texture Studies, 49(5), 468-475.