Production of sucrose-free fibrous cubes based on pumpkin seed shells and stevia extract: Investigation of physicochemical and sensory properties

In this study, a fiber cube was provided from pumpkin seed shell powder (PSP) and shaped with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), incorporating a stevia extract (SE) to impart sweetness, resulting in a sugar-free fibrous cube. The study assessed physicochemical, structural, and sensory properties and examined the influence of two variables: CMC content and SE content. Key findings include: (i) crude fiber content of PSP base is ۳۳.۷۶ wt%; (ii) FTIR confirms electrostatic and physical interactions among cube constituents; (iii) XRD shows that CMC and SE do not alter the amorphous character of PSP; (iv) Overall acceptance improves with higher SE content and desirability analysis identifies optimum additive levels at SE=۰.۷۴ g and CMC=۰.۴۲ g.

کلیدواژه ها:

Fibrous Cubes ، Healthy food ، sugar-free candy ، Stevia ، CMC ، pumpkin seed shell