Development and sensory evaluation of brownies using cauliflower powder

The rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Malaysia (diabetes, and heart diseases) is linked to low dietary fibre intake, highlighting the need for innovative dietary strategies. One approach is incorporating cauliflower powder (CP) into brownies to boost fibre intake. This study aimed to develop brownies using CP as an alternative baking ingredient, determine their nutritional composition, and evaluate their sensory characteristics and overall acceptability. Nutritional analysis of cauliflower powder brownies (CPB) with varying CP percentages used several methods; oven drying method for moisture, dry ashing for ash content, the Kjeldahl method for protein content, Soxhlet extraction for fat, Nutritionist Pro for total dietary fibre, and the difference method for carbohydrate. A sensory evaluation with 36 untrained participants, using a 7-point Hedonic Scale assessed appearance, aroma, taste (aftertaste), texture (chewiness), and overall acceptance. The results showed that brownies with 10% CP (CPBD) were more accepted than those with lower CP concentrations and traditional brownies. CP improved all the sensory attributes, receiving the highest scores for appearance, aroma, taste, texture, and overall acceptability. Proximate analysis revealed that CPBD had higher levels of moisture, ash, protein, and dietary fibre, while having lower carbohydrate and fat contents.These findings suggest that CPB can effectively enhance dietary fibre intake in Malaysia, offering a promising strategy to combat NCDs through improved dietary choices.