Crackers enriched with Savoy cabbage and Annurca apple by-products: DPPH radical-scavenging activity, enzyme inhibition and predicted glycaemic index

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Abstract

The growing demand for healthier and more sustainable food options is prompting the food sector to develop products that deliver nutritional benefits while reducing waste. This study examines a dual valorization strategy that integrates both vegetable and fruit by-products and underutilized seed oils into cracker formulations. Powders derived from Brassica oleracea var. sabauda (Savoy cabbage) by-products and Malus domestica var. Annurca peels were used to partially replace wheat flour (5% and 10%), while cold-pressed broccoli and cherry seed oils served as alternative lipid sources. This combined use of fiber-and polyphenol-rich powders with alternative seed oils represents a novel, circular approach to functional bakery design. Four experimental formulations (C1-C4) were prepared alongside a control, replacing wheat flour with 5% or 10% Brassica oleracea var . sabauda by-products plus broccoli seed oil (C1, C2) or with 5% or 10% Annurca apple peel powder plus cherry seed oil (C3, C4). Enrichment increased total polyphenol content and DPPH radical-scavenging activity compared with the control, with the highest values observed in the 10% Annurca peel formulation (C4; 267.7 μg GAE/g and 43.9%, respectively). The enriched crackers also showed lower IC50 values in the in vitro assays against α-amylase, α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase, particularly C4, which exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity. In vitro starch digestion resulted in significantly lower predicted glycemic index (pGI) values in all enriched formulations compared with the control, with reductions ranging from approximately 17.5 to 23.8%. These findings indicate that incorporating plant-based by-products can modify the DPPH radical-scavenging activity, in vitro digestive enzyme inhibitory potential, and predicted glycemic response of crackers. Overall, the results support the potential of these by-products for the development of more resource-efficient bakery products, while further studies are needed to characterize individual and combined contributions of these ingredients.

Keywords

enriched crackers / DPPH radical-scavenging activity / α-amylase inhibition / lipase inhibition / predicted glycemic index-pGI

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