Chemical composition, antioxidant properties, and sensory aspects of gingerbread enriched with green coffee and cascara

Background. With growing consumer health consciousness, there is an increasing demand for value-added food products that offer greater nutritional benefits and improved sensory profiles. Enhancing traditional foods with functional ingredients provides a vital avenue for meeting this demand.
Materials and methods. This study describes the preparation and analysis of gingerbread enriched with 10% green coffee and 10% cascara. The formulated samples were analysed to determine their nutritional composition, antioxidant characteristics, chlorogenic acid content, and caffeine content, and they were sub­jected to a sensory evaluation.
Results. The ash content in the gingerbread samples ranged from 1.16% to 1.34%, with the sample con­taining 10% green coffee exhibiting the highest crude protein level at 10.57%. The antioxidant capacity was between 0.91 mg TEAC/g and 1.5 mg TEAC/g, with the green coffee sample containing the highest total polyphenol content at 1.38 mg GAE/g. Caloric values remained consistent across all samples at ap­proximately 45.700 kcal/100 g. Additionally, minerals including copper, zinc, manganese and iron were detected in the enriched gingerbread samples, while no detectable levels of risk elements (cadmium, lead or mercury) were observed. The addition of green coffee and cascara significantly (p < 0.005) increased the concentrations of chlorogenic, neo-chlorogenic and crypto-chlorogenic acids. The green coffee had a caffeine concentration of 303.67 μg/g. The sensory evaluation generated positive feedback, especially regarding aroma and taste, indicating that the addition of green coffee and cascara enhanced the product’s nutritional and sensory properties.
Conclusions. This study suggests that gingerbread enriched with green coffee and cascara presents an ap­pealing option for health-conscious consumers, offering a pastry that maintains its freshness with the added benefit of a mild, natural stimulant effect from caffeine. This enrichment not only contributes to the product’s nutritional profile but also aligns with current consumer trends favouring functional and health-promoting foods.