Production of functional turkish delight with avocado leaves for kidney patients

Chronic kidney diseases affect approximately 10–12% of the global population. This study aims to develop functional Turkish delight formulations for kidney patients that are low in protein, high in energy, limited in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, and rich in antioxidants while maintaining desirable sensory properties. Kidney diseases are among chronic conditions in which dietary treatment plays a crucial role, and patients are advised to consume foods that are low in protein, high in energy, and rich in antioxidants. However, traditional desserts such as starch pudding, milk pudding, and plain Turkish delight are insufficient in meeting these dietary requirements in terms of energy and nutrient content. In this context, innovative functional Turkish delights were developed specifically for kidney patients by utilizing the high antioxidant capacity, low protein content, and natural food coloring properties of avocado leaf powder (ALP), which has a high polyphenol content (1,700–4,382 mg GAE/100 g). In the study, ALP was directly added in powdered form at different concentrations (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%) and incorporated as extracts obtained through hot and cold extraction methods at varying concentrations (15%, 20%, 30%) in the Turkish delight formulations. The physical, chemical, and sensory properties of the developed products were analyzed. Physical analyses included color and texture measurements, while chemical analyses involved moisture, ash, protein, total phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity determinations. Additionally, consumer acceptability was evaluated through sensory analysis. The chemical analysis results confirmed that avocado leaf has a high total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity (94.19–239.73 mg/kg), and these properties were enhanced in the developed products compared to plain Turkish delight. Sensory evaluations revealed that Turkish delight samples containing 2.5% ALP in powder form and 30% ALP extracts obtained through both hot and cold extraction methods were within acceptable sensory limits. This study successfully developed functional Turkish delight products that could contribute to the dietary management of kidney patients. These products are low in protein, high in energy, rich in total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity, made with natural food coloring, and specifically designed to have reduced sodium, potassium, and phosphorus content. Keywords: Kidney patients, Turkish delight, Avocado leaf, Antioxidant capacity, Natural food coloring