As the global population ages, addressing sarcopenia—muscle loss—becomes increasingly vital. Elderly individuals require a higher protein intake (1.0-1.2 g/kg/day) than younger adults. Biscuits, being popular and accessible, present an ideal vehicle for delivering these crucial nutrients. However, traditional protein-enriched biscuits can be challenging to chew.
A recent thesis by Sara Chiari presented at the end of her course at the 2nd level Master's in Innovation in Food Science and Technology – Michele Ferrero at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, aimed to overcome these challenges by developing a shortbread biscuit model tailored for the elderly. The strategy focused on incorporating dietary fibers to improve mechanical properties, enhance palatability, and act as sugar replacers.
The study utilized protein sources like soy flour/isolate and chickpea flour , alongside fibers such as Inulin, Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), Resistant Maltodextrin (RMDs), and Oat Fiber. In the first phase, exploring protein enhancement, soy flour and soy isolate (SSi) was chosen for its high protein content (13%), despite other formulations like Chickpeas + Soy Isolate (CSi) showing similar texture to standard biscuits.
The second phase investigated the role of various fibers. FOS and Inulin intensified browning, resulting in darker, redder biscuits, while Oat Fiber inhibited browning, making biscuits lighter. RMDs presented an intermediate effect. Crucially, fibers increased moisture and modified texture; RMDs softened the biscuits, and FOS helped maintain a texture comparable to the protein standard. FOS particularly stood out for its consistent expansion and positive textural impact, making it a promising sugar replacer.
This research successfully demonstrated that incorporating fibers significantly improved the palatability of protein-enriched biscuits for the elderly. Future steps include sensory analysis to further refine the product and optimizing baking methods to address issues like undesirable browning caused by certain fibers. This work represents a vital stride towards creating functional foods that better serve the nutritional needs of our aging population.