Improvement of functional biscuits and crackers with Spirulina platensis supplementation

IMPROVEMENT OF FUNCTIONAL BISCUITS AND CRACKERS WITH Spirulina platensis SUPPLEMENTATION The purpose of this study was to research the effects of Spirulina platensis additive by increasing the functionality of biscuits and crackers on color, hardness, satisfaction, smell parameters and protein, amino acid, vitamin and mineral values. Spirulina platensis concentration amounts of 0%, 2,5%, and 4% for biscuits and 0%, 2,5% and 5% for crackers were studied. For biscuits, 30 different experimental designs and for crackers, 17 different experimental designs were specified by using Design Expert. The colour, smell, flavour, crunchiness and the general satisfaction of experimental designs were evaluated by experts doing panel test. By using the results of sensory analysis of biscuit experimental designs with the help of Design Expert analysis, the optimum experiment design contents were identified. The general satisfaction scores of optimum experimental designs were 4,6 for biscuits and 4,8 for crackers. The highest degree of biscuit hardness of 2875 was reached in design 27. The highest degree of cracker hardness of 516 was measured in design 7. Optimum biscuit and cracker trials with the best scores on both biscuits and crackers were tested on the production line. S. platensis added designs resulted an increase of %56,92 in protein, %78,76 in aa content for biscuits and %43,47 in protein, %53,83 in aa content for crackers. The mineral values measured in the optimum biscuit were Ca 87 mg, Na 870 mg and the values measured in the optimum cracker were, Ca 89 mg and Na 857 mg. As a result, it has been proven that addition of S. platensis to biscuits and crackers developed preferable functional products in terms of satisfaction, taste, color and also protein, vitamin and aa contents. Key Words: Spirulina platensis, Biscuit, Cracker, Sensory Analysis, Functional Food