Colored wheats such as black, blue, or purple wheat are receiving a great interest as healthy food ingredients due to their potential health-enhancing attributes. Purple wheat is an anthocyanin-pigmented grain that holds huge potential in food applications since wheat is the preferred source of energy and protein in human diet. Purple wheat is currently processed into a variety of foods with potent antioxidant properties, which have been demonstrated by in vitro studies. However, the health impacts of purple wheat foods in humans still require further investigations. Meanwhile, anthocyanins are vulnerable molecules that require special stabilization treatments during food preparation and processing. A number of stabilization methods such as co-pigmentation, self-association, encapsulation, metal binding, and adjusting processing conditions have been suggested as a means to diminish the loss of anthocyanins in processed foods and dietary supplements. The present review was intended to provide insights about purple wheat food product development and its roles in human health. In addition, methods for stabilizing anthocyanins during processing were briefly discussed.

The gluten-free products available on the markets are deficient in bioactive compounds and high in cost. The present study is designed to develop gluten-free biscuits with enhanced nutritional properties. The gluten-free biscuits are formulated with rice flour (RF) incorporated with Assyrian plum fruit flour (APF) and bio-waste date-pit flour (DPF) according to the following ratios; RF:DPF:APF (100:0:0)/T0, (90:5:5)/T1, (80:10:10)/T2, and (70:15:15)/T3. The results demonstrate that flour blends with different concentrations of APF and DPF incorporated in RF have high contents of protein, damaged starch, crude fiber, ash, phytochemicals, and antioxidants in contrast to 100% RF, which shows the lowest values for all these parameters. The pasting properties of the flour blends reveals that the values of peak, final, breakdown, and setback viscosities reduce from T1 to T3. Similarly, a differential scanning calorimeter reveals that the phase transition temperature of the flour blends decreases with the increasing amylose content. Moreover, the scanning electron microscopy of the biscuit samples shows a positive contribution of APF and DPF for the development of the desired compactness of the structure due to the leaching of amylose content from the starch. The total phenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) increase from 38.43 to 132.20 mg GAE/100 g DW and 18.67 to 87.27 mg CE/100 g DW, respectively. Similarly, the antioxidant activities of biscuits improved. The protein and fiber contents of the biscuits increased from 10.20 to 14.73% and 0.69 to 12.25%, respectively. The biscuits prepared from T3 resulted in a firmer texture with a reduced spread ratio. However, the formulation of T1 and T2 biscuit samples contributed to desirable physical and sensory properties. Therefore, the addition of DPF and APF to RF is a sustainable way to make gluten-free biscuits as they provide adequate amylose, damaged starch, and fiber content to overcome the essential role of gluten in the baked product with nutraceutical properties.

In the present study, an effort was made to incorporate lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) as a fat mimetic for the development of functional biscuits. Functional properties, dough rheology, pasting profile, the microstructure of dough, antioxidant activities, physical, nutritional and sensorial properties of the samples were investigated. The addition of lotus root flour (LRF) resulted in a significant increase (P ≤ 0.05) in water absorption (57.51–72.40%) and dough stability time (7.38–13.10 min), while breakdown (802–554cP) and, setback viscosities (1154–900cP) decreased. Gluten content also decreased with the increased concentration of LRF, hence suggested weaker gluten network, which was further confirmed by scanning electron microscopic images (SEMIs) of biscuits dough. The total phenolic content (17.73–131.37 mg/mL and 14.43–94.67 mg/mL), DPPH radical scavenging activity-IC₅₀ (477.10 − 153.32 mg/mL and 500.41–94.32 mg/mL), and ferric reducing antioxidant power-IC₅₀ (348.21–53.62 mg/mL and 350.31–36.32 mg/mL) increased upon increasing the content of LRF in wheat flour and biscuits samples. Nutritional data revealed that protein (11.20–13.40%), ash (0.53–2.86%), and the crude fiber content (0.21–15.60%) of biscuits increased, and calories reduced (497–375kcal/100 gm). Therefore, this study explores the potential of using LRF as a fat mimetic in biscuits with the application on a commercial scale to enhance antioxidant, physical, nutritional, and sensory attributes.

In the present study, an effort was made to incorporate Vigna mungo flour (VMF) as a fat mimetic for the development of functional biscuits. Rheological properties of dough, pasting profile, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activities (1, 1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] inhibition and ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP]), shelf life, and nutritional and sensory properties of the samples were analyzed. An increase in DPPH inhibition, FRAP, TPC, and TFC was observed with increase in the concentration of VMF in wheat flour (WF). The addition of VMF resulted in increased water absorption (58.71–72.40%) and dough stability time (6.30–13.11 min). Set back viscosities (479–81 torque) decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05), whereas break down viscosities (378–447 torque) increased. The baking process decreased the IC₅₀ values of DPPH inhibition (255.40–169.21 mg/ml) and FRAP (114.45–34.12 mg/ml), although TPC and TFC decreased. The study of shelf life for 2 months revealed no significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) in antioxidant, phenolics, and flavonoids contents of VMF‐WF biscuits. Furthermore, the antioxidants, TFC, and TPC compounds were undetected in control throughout the storage period. The increase in both peroxide value (3.9 mEqO₂/kg of fat) and free fatty acid (0.87%) was significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) than that of the control biscuits during storage but were in an acceptable range. It correlates to the enhanced activity of natural antioxidants as TPC and TFC in VMF‐WF biscuits, which are responsible for the decrease in the rate of oxidation. Nutritional data of VMF‐WF biscuits revealed that protein (11.20–15.85%), crude fiber (0.21–2.01%), and ash content (0.53–4.01%) significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) and calories (497–430 kcal/100 g) reduced because of the addition of fat mimetic. Biscuits prepared with VMF 15% demonstrated superior quality as compared with control. In conclusion, it could be suggested that the addition of VMF as a fat mimetic in biscuits may increase antioxidant and polyphenolic contents with enhanced storage stability. The reduced calories, increased protein, fiber, mineral contents, and enhanced antioxidant activity considerably increase the nutritional status of the biscuits.