Cookies Fortified with Lonicera japonica Thunb. Extracts: Impact on Phenolic Acid Content, Antioxidant Activity and Physical Properties

HIGHLIGHTS: Cookies with a 4% level of LJ extracts possessed the highest chlorogenic acid content. The addition of higher levels of LJ extracts significantly increased higher antioxidant activity of cookies. Cookies with a 1% level of LJ extracts had the highest sensory score. ABSTRACTS: Lonicera japonica Thunb. (LJ), as a Caprifoliaceae family plant, is enriched with polyphenols. Cookies supplemented with LJ extracts have the potential to exert antioxidant activity. However, studies on cookies fortified with LJ extracts are scarcely available. Therefore, the effect of LJ extract addition on cookie phenolic acid content, antioxidant activity, color, texture and the sensory score was firstly evaluated. Results suggest that different levels (1–4%) of LJ extracts significantly increased chlorogenic acid content, ranging from 21.96 to 202.65 μg/g. Cookies with a 4% level of LJ extracts possessed the highest activity of scavenging DPPH free radical activity (63.71 μg Vc/g), ABTS free radical activity (415.10 μg Vc/g), and ferric-reducing power of cookies (169.58 μg Vc/g). Further, a decrease in lightness L* and an increase in redness a* were observed in cookies with LJ extract addition. LJ extract addition lowered the hardness of cookies, and 4% level of LJ extracts increased the crispiness of cookies. Cookies with a 1% level of LJ extracts had a higher overall acceptance score (84.33) than that of other levels. Sensory acceptance played a vital role in the selection of the optimal formulation of cookies. Therefore, LJ extracts at 1% level could be an optimal supplement proportion in cookies and increased the antioxidant activity of cookies.