DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF FUNCTIONAL MUFFINS ENRICHED WITH POMEGRANATE PEEL POWDER: A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO FOOD WASTE VALORIZATION

Abstract

Pomegranate peel, a major by-product of pomegranate processing, is rich in dietary fiber, minerals, and bioactive compounds, making it a promising ingredient for the development of value-added food products. The present study aimed to develop nutritionally enriched muffins by incorporating pomegranate peel powder at different levels and to evaluate their sensory acceptability. Pomegranate peels were dried, powdered, and analyzed for their proximate and mineral composition. Muffins were prepared by partially replacing whole wheat flour with pomegranate peel powder at levels of 3 g, 6 g, and 8 g, while a control sample without pomegranate peel powder was also developed. Nutritional analysis revealed that pomegranate peel powder contained appreciable amounts of crude fiber (17.30 g/100 g), calcium (330.56 mg/100 g), iron (6.28 mg/100 g), and potassium (144.60 mg/100 g). Sensory evaluation was conducted using a nine-point hedonic scale by a semi-trained panel. Among all formulations, muffins containing 6 g pomegranate peel powder achieved the highest overall acceptability score (8.61), followed by 3 g pomegranate peel powder, control, and 8 g pomegranate peel powder samples. The findings suggest that pomegranate peel powder can be successfully incorporated into muffins to enhance their nutritional quality while promoting the sustainable utilization of food processing by-products.