Consumer acceptability of chocolate chip cookies using applesauce as a fat (butter) substitute

Replacing fat in baked goods with fruit or vegetable base ingredients like applesauce would develop aid in the effort of overall reduction of fat intake and increase consumption of fruits and vegetables. The objective of this study was to determine the consumer acceptability of chocolate chip cookies prepared by replacing butter with applesauce. Three recipes were included: 1- Control: made according to Nestle Toll House recipe. 2- Half replacement (HR): made by replacing 50% of butter with applesauce. 3- Full replacement (FR): made by replacing 100% of butter with applesauce. Nestle Toll House recipe was employed in this study and Mott's applesauce was used for fat replacement. The 9 point hedonic rating scale system was used to evaluate the acceptability of the following sensory characteristics: appearance, texture, color, chewiness, sweetness, moistness, flavor, aftertaste and overall acceptability. Sensory evaluation was completed at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University on 35 food science students and employees. Our results showed that HR was very much acceptable, control was between very much acceptable and moderately acceptable, and FR was between moderately acceptable and neither acceptable nor unacceptable for all sensory characteristics. No significant (P>0.05) differences were reported in the acceptability of control and HR, whereas FR showed significantly (P<0.05) lower acceptability. Among all panelists (n = 35) 12, 16, and 7 panelists have chosen control, HR, and FR respectively as the most preferred and most worth buying cookie. In conclusion, applesauce could be an acceptable fat substitute in baked goods, thereby adding health benefits and nutritional value to baked products, and also contributing to the reduction of obesity.