Addition of Pachira aquatica oil and Platonia insignis almond in cookies: Physicochemical and sensorial aspects

This article investigated the use of Pachira aquatica (PA) fat and Platonia insignis (PI) nuts as ingredients in the preparation of cookies. Seven formulations containing PA fat and/or PI nuts were studied by changing the formulation proposed by AACC, and samples were evaluated considering physical–chemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics. Formulations F1, F4, and F5 showed higher mass loss and lower expansion factor after cooking. Formulations F4, F6, and F7 presented a greater increase in diameter. In turn, formulations F5, F6, and F7 presented greater thickness. The content of fatty acids varied according to the composition of each biscuit, and formulations 2 and 3 presented the best lipid profile (oleic acid ~32%). In addition, it was observed that the addition of PI almond increased the fiber content (~7.15%). The sensory evaluation showed that formulation F5 obtained a score of 5, proving that the partial replacement of hydrogenated vegetable fat with PA fat and grated coconut with PI almond favored the panelists' purchasing decision. The results indicate that unconventional sources of lipids and nuts can be used without loss of quality in biscuits.