INFLUENCE OF MATCHA (CAMELLIA SINENSIS L.) AND MORINGA (MORINGA OLEIFERA) LEAF POWDER ADDITIVE ON THE QUALITY OF CUPCAKES

Abstract

The researches were conducted in 2023 at the Faculty of Agronomy of VMU ŽŪA, Institute of Agricultural and Food Sciences Plant Food Raw Materials Quality Research Laboratory, Food Raw Materials, Agronomical and Zootechnical Research Laboratory and Plant Raw Materials Quality Research Laboratory of the Open Access Joint Research Center for Land and Forests. Flour confectionery products - cupcakes - were prepared for the research. The raw materials used were purchased in the Kaunas supermarket: rice and almond flour, rapeseed oil, eggs, baking powder, sugar, and salt. To improve the nutritional value of baked goods, part of the rice flour was replaced with Moringa and Matcha powder - 6, 9, and 12 %, respectively. Protein content (%), fiber content (%), and moisture (%) of the cupcakes were tested using standard methods. The significantly lowest moisture content was found in cupcakes with 6 % Matcha and 6 % and 9 % Moringa leaf powder addition compared to the control. No significant differences were found in other cupcake variants. The addition of 9 and 12 % Matcha and Moringa powders increased the protein and fiber content of the cupcakes.