In this study, a novel functional couscous with reduced glycemic potential was developed by enrichment of traditional couscous with β-glucan and protein through the addition of hull-less barley (cv. Chifaa) and lentil flours. Couscous samples were produced using 50:50 blends of durum wheat semolina (Svevo) with Chifaa, lentil, or malted lentil flours. The cooking and textural properties, color attributes, and chemical and nutritional composition (protein, β-glucan, resistant starch, in vitro glycemic index (GI)) were evaluated in both flour blends and couscous products. The incorporation of Chifaa flour significantly improved the technological and nutritional quality of couscous, as well as its phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Couscous containing Chifaa flour exhibited the highest water absorption, hardness, and chewiness compared to control samples. In particular, the couscous produced from the Chifaa/Lentil blend showed the highest water absorption (279.4%), total phenolic content (448.6 mg GAE/100 g), and total antioxidant capacity (416.6-470.2 mg TE/100 g), as well as the highest β-glucan and protein contents (3.57% and 22.56%, respectively). Additionally, this sample exhibited the lowest in vitro GI (50.1), meeting the criterion for classification as a low-GI food (GI < 55) and complying with FDA health claim requirements. These findings demonstrate the potential of barley-legume-based formulations to develop nutritionally enhanced couscous with improved functional and glycemic properties.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of three different concentrations of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12 postbiotics (0.5, 0.75 and 1%) on the functional and physicochemical properties of 3D-printed milk chocolate. Supplementation of postbiotics resulted in significant changes in chocolate attributes in a concentration-dependent manner. The antioxidant capacity was enhanced at all concentrations, with the highest activity observed at 1%, despite minimal changes in total phenolic content. This suggests that the improved antioxidant capacity was largely due to non-phenolic compounds. Rheological and textural properties were significantly influenced; 0.5–0.75% of postbiotics reduced chocolate hardness (1377–1488 g) and enhanced its flowability, whereas 1% postbiotics increased chocolate hardness by up to 2558 g and viscosity, which may be associated with changes in the physical organization of the chocolate matrix. The thermal stability remained largely unchanged (Tp ≈ 34.4–35.7 °C; To ≈ 28–31 °C), indicating that postbiotics incorporation did not affect the cocoa butter crystallizing behavior. Significant differences in color (L* reduced, a* increased) occurred at 0.5–0.75% concentrations. In general, 3D-printed functional milk chocolate enriched with B. lactis BB-12 postbiotics can be considered a promising approach for incorporating bioactive ingredients into confectionery products.

This study investigated the combined effects of durum wheat genotype and Type II sourdough fermentation on the technological, nutritional, and functional properties of bazlama, a traditional flatbread. Bazlama samples were produced using 1:1 blends of Tosunbey bread wheat flour with Svevo, Faridur (soft Svevo), and high-amylose Svevo (Svevo-HA) whole wheat flours, followed by commercial yeast fermentation (1 h) and short (4 h) or long-term (20 h) Type II sourdough fermentation using a defined starter culture (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 34BB10, Levilactobacillus brevis ELB25, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae TGM33). Long-term sourdough fermentation significantly improved the nutritional quality of bazlama by increasing resistant starch content (up to 2.84 g/100 g dw), enhancing total phenolic content (up to 520.04 mg GAE/100 g dw) and antioxidant capacity, and reducing phytic acid levels (down to 5.18 mg/g dw) (p ≤ 0.05). These changes were accompanied by a marked reduction in estimated glycemic index, with the lowest value (54.46) observed in high-amylose bazlama subjected to long fermentation. Although sourdough fermentation increased hardness during storage (15.61–47.04 N vs. 8.55–27.67 N in control), it improved functional texture attributes such as springiness, resilience, and cohesiveness. In conclusion, extended Type II sourdough fermentation effectively improves the nutritional and functional properties of bazlama by enhancing bioactive compound formation, increasing resistant starch and antioxidant capacity, and reducing phytic acid content and estimated glycemic index, particularly in high-amylose wheat-based formulations. Type II sourdough improved nutritional and functional bazlama quality. Long fermentation increased resistant starch and reduced phytic acid. High-amylose durum wheat lowered the estimated glycemic index. Sourdough enhanced phenolics and antioxidant capacity. Genotype–fermentation synergy improved nutritional quality.

This study presents the development of functional couscous enriched with β-glucan through incorporation of a high β-glucan hull-less barley (cv. Chifaa), into durum semolina. Four couscous samples were prepared using 100

Food safety is a major global challenge, driven by population growth, industrial food production, and rising public health concerns. Contaminants such as pathogen microorganisms, heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, and antibiotic residues require rapid, sensitive, and reliable detection strategies. Electrochemical biosensors have emerged as efficient alternatives to conventional analytical methods due to their simplicity, low cost, and suitability for real-time monitoring. Two-dimensional (2D) materials, particularly MXenes and MBenes, have shown great promise in enhancing sensor performance. MXenes, composed of 2D transition metal carbides, nitrides, or carbonitrides, exhibit tunable surface terminations and high electrical conductivity, whereas MBenes (2D transition metal borides) offer superior oxidation stability and chemical robustness. This review outlines recent advances in the synthesis, structural tailoring, and application of MXene- and MBene-based electrochemical (bio)sensors for food safety monitoring, emphasizing their advantages, limitations, and future perspectives for practical implementation.

Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG; Thinopyrum intermedium) is a promising perennial crop with potential nutritional and functional benefits. Physical (thousand kernel weight, color), chemical (protein content, mineral composition) and functional (phenolic contents, antioxidant capacity, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene contents) grain characteristics of two IWG varieties, namely, Sova and Filin, were investigated. Protein contents of Sova (red) and Filin (purple) grains were 20.2 and 21.3%, respectively. The Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn contents of Sova were 1575, 1259, 53.3, 51.5, 4.9, and 27.7 mg & centerdot;kg-1, respectively, and those of Filin were 1560, 1542, 55.7, 59.3, 5.9, and 33.1 mg & centerdot;kg-1, respectively. Zn:Cu ratios (5.65 for Sova and 5.61 for Filin) were balanced, minimizing risk of Cu deficiency. In both IWG varieties, phenolic contents in the bound fraction and their antioxidant activities (ABTS and CUPRAC) were higher than those in free fraction. Ferulic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid found in the bound fraction of IWG. These findings highlight the nutritional and functional potential of these two IWG varieties, reinforcing their value as promising ingredients for developing health-oriented, sustainable grain-based food products.

Economically motivated adulteration of olive oil, coffee and fruit juice is a persistent food-fraud problem for which Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy with chemometrics offers rapid screening. Linear partial least squares (PLS) is interpretable but cannot capture non-linear mixing; neural networks add flexibility at the cost of becoming black boxes. We evaluated a Kolmogorov–Arnold network (KAN), which places learnable univariate functions on its edges and is therefore intrinsically interpretable, against PLS, support-vector regression, random forests, a multilayer perceptron and a one-dimensional convolutional network on three attenuated total reflectance (ATR)–FTIR datasets (olive oil + sunflower oil, coffee + malt flour, orange juice + apple juice; approximately 350, 400 and 400 spectra). All models were compared under identical, leakage-free validation that splits spectra by physical sample. The compact KAN was consistently competitive (cross-validated coefficients of determination (R2) = 0.86, 0.93 and 0.69) and yielded closed-form equations whose variables map to recognised vibrational bands and whose importance ranking agrees with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP; Spearman ρ = 0.86–0.90); symbolic conversion costs no accuracy. We also report the following limits: PLS was strongest where the chemistry was linear (coffee) and the multilayer perceptron was strongest on fruit juice, whose equation is the weakest (R2 = 0.47–0.75 across seeds); a parameter-matched perceptron matched the KAN’s accuracy; and leave-one-brand-out validation degraded every model. The KAN is therefore a promising, compact and genuinely transparent alternative under controlled multi-matrix conditions, not a deployment-ready method.

This research focused on developing functional tarhana soup samples with a lower estimated glycemic index (GI) that are high in resistant starch and β-glucan, and rich in plant-based protein. Tarhana samples were produced by supplementing with hull-less barley and lentil flours and resistant starch obtained from high-amylose wheat. The color, microbial loads, phenolic contents, antioxidant capacity, and GI values of the tarhana samples were evaluated. RS content increased up to 13.82

This study investigated the reformulation of traditional Anatolian flatbread (bazlama), a staple food of the Mediterranean diet, into a functional product with enhanced nutritional quality. High-amylose refined (white) flour obtained from high-amylose Svevo (Svevo-HA) wheat and resistant starch produced via repeated autoclaving-cooling cycles were incorporated to increase resistant starch content and antioxidant capacity, reduce the predicted glycemic response, and evaluate the resulting changes in textural attributes. Six bazlama formulations were produced using white flours of normal Svevo, Svevo-HA, and recombined Svevo-HA flour containing resistant starch and gluten, with and without vital gluten supplementation. Color, texture profile, phenolic content, antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP), resistant starch content, and in vitro glycemic index (GI) were evaluated. Bazlama samples enriched with resistant starch exhibited significantly higher total antioxidant activity (113.7-174.7 mg Trolox equivalent/100 g dw) and resistant starch (9.1-10.3%) levels, along with reduced GI values (53.8-54 < 55), classifying them as low-GI foods. The results demonstrate that incorporating high-amylose wheat-derived resistant starch can successfully convert bazlama into a functional flatbread with improved health-promoting properties.

Sucrose plays a critical role in fat-continuous confectionery systems such as cocoa-hazelnut spreads by contributing to sweetness, texture, flow behavior, particle interactions, and overall sensory quality. In this study, sucrose was replaced with fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO) at replacement levels of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% in cocoa-hazelnut spread formulations. The effects of these substitutions on physicochemical, textural, and rheological properties, particle size distribution, color parameters, estimated glycemic index (eGI), and sensory characteristics were investigated. Sucrose replacement significantly altered the structural and rheological properties of the spread matrix depending on both the type of oligosaccharide and the level of substitution. Formulations containing FOS exhibited more pronounced reductions in firmness and sensory acceptability at higher replacement levels. In contrast, IMO-containing formulations better preserved particle dispersion, viscoelastic stability, and overall sensory quality, particularly at low to moderate substitution levels. However, complete replacement of sucrose showed an adverse effect on taste and spreadability in both oligosaccharide systems. Both oligosaccharides contributed to a reduction in the eGI values. The eGI decreased from 50.71 to 39.90 in FOS-containing formulations and from 51.39 to 41.94 in IMO-containing formulations. These findings suggest that FOS is more effective in lowering the eGI, whereas IMO demonstrates greater potential for maintaining the technological and sensory quality of cocoa-hazelnut spreads when used as a partial sucrose replacer.

The production of plant-based meat analogues from various protein sources is an emerging application worldwide, driven by growing population and health concerns. Many microorganisms during fermentation play a crucial role in fermented plant-based meat alternatives, together with structuring and analytical approaches in terms of nutritional, physicochemical, and textural properties. On the other hand, various countries enforce regulations and legislation for these products while producing and labeling them in order to protect consumers. This review focused on plant sources, microorganisms, and technologies applied to fermented meat alternatives, including 3D food printing, extrusion, and advanced biotechnological and analytical approaches such as precision fermentation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and metabolomics analysis. Besides, dietary, chemical, flavor, and appearance effects were mentioned for these combinations. In addition, the review discusses legal regulations and labeling enforced in several countries, aimed at providing consumers with safe, healthy food by defining appropriate protein dosages. The techno-functional properties of plant-based meat alternatives improved owing to fermentation and microorganisms playing a vital role. This review also highlighted that other advanced technologies assisted in the development of better final products in line with consumer demands and legal regulations enforced to produce high-quality, safe, and healthy foods.

This study investigated the effects of pan-frying, sous-vide, boiling, and deep frying methods on the mineral content and post-in vitro digestion bioaccessibility of beef, lamb, and chicken livers. Sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and cobalt (Co) concentrations were quantified using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Significant differences in mineral contents were observed among cooking methods within the same liver type and among liver types within the same cooking method (p < 0.05). Sous-vide achieved the highest macromineral retention across all liver types, ranging from 61.52% ± 1.83% to 101.45% ± 6.21%. Micromineral retention varied by liver type, with boiling and sous-vide methods yielding higher rates (39.69% ± 2.84%-141.05% ± 9.93%). Sous-vide treatment was also associated with an apparent post-processing increase in Mg concentration (29.82%), reflecting high mineral retention efficiency and reduced moisture loss rather than de novo mineral formation. This cooking method also resulted in the highest Fe concentrations (281.6 ± 7.86 mg/kg). In contrast, boiling caused losses of 49.24%-70.69% in Na, Mg, K, and P, while deep frying resulted in losses of 3.38%-48.90% for these elements. After in vitro digestion, boiling resulted in the lowest mineral losses across all liver types. The samples exhibiting the most pronounced post-digestion increases and the highest Fe concentrations were identified as 560.44 ± 35.52 mg/kg for BFI (Beef Deep Frying Intestine), 636.4 ± 12.93 mg/kg for CFI (Chicken Deep Frying Intestine), and 728.4 ± 27.09 mg/kg for LBI (Lamb Boiling Intestine). Overall, considering both mineral retention after cooking and mineral release into the soluble fraction during in vitro digestion, sous-vide emerged as the most favorable cooking method for preserving the mineral nutritional quality of liver, while the findings should still be interpreted in the context of bioaccessibility and realistic dietary intake.

This study evaluated the effects of controlled heat treatment on the glycemic index (eGI), bile acid-binding capacity (BABC), total phenolics, antioxidant activity, and in vitro bioaccessibility of whole grain buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), rye (Secale cereale L.), and oats (Avena sativa). Cereals were subjected to thermal processing at three temperatures (120, 150, and 180 °C) for 30 min. The eGI values increased in rye and oat following heat treatment but decreased in buckwheat at 150 and 180 °C. Thermal processing significantly affected BABC in all cereals (p ≤ 0.05), with the highest values observed at 180 °C for oats (6.56 µmol/g), buckwheat (6.65 µmol/g), and rye (5.77 µmol/g). The total phenolic content (TPC) increased with heat treatment. The highest TPC values were recorded at 180 °C for rye (9.33 mg GAE/g dw), 120 °C for buckwheat (15.39 mg GAE/g dw), and 150 °C for oats (10.04 mg GAE/g dw). Antioxidant capacities, measured using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) assays, were enhanced in buckwheat and oats after thermal processing, while a significant decrease was observed in rye. The in vitro bioaccessibility of TPC significantly improved during the gastric phase for all samples except oat, with buckwheat showing the highest increase (86.56 Heat treatment enhances dietary fiber content and bile acid binding capacity. Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity increase with kilning. Buckwheat showed the highest improvement in TPC bioaccessibility. Thermal processing significantly enhanced rye’s TAC bioaccesibility.

High internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) are structured, semi-solid systems with high dispersed-phase volume fractions and complex viscoelastic behavior, making them attractive for advanced food applications. In this study, Maillard-type hazelnut protein isolate (HPI) conjugates with gum Arabic (GA) or sodium alginate (SA) were used to stabilize highly concentrated emulsions and HIPEs formulated at different water:oil ratios (20:80-40:60, w/w) and conjugate concentrations (2.5-3.5%, w/w). All formulations exhibited PDI values ≤1 and negative ζ-potential values (-27 to -41 mV), indicating acceptable colloidal stability and droplet dispersion within the emulsion systems. Polysaccharide type markedly influenced emulsion structure, with HPI-SA formulations yielding smaller droplet sizes, whereas HPI-GA systems supported higher oil loadings. Steady-shear analysis showed that increasing oil fraction and conjugate concentration increased apparent viscosity and consistency in both systems, with HPI-SA formulations exhibiting higher viscosity levels. In contrast, HPI-GA systems showed stronger shear sensitivity (lower n), indicating a more shear-responsive structure favorable for extrusion. Frequency sweep analysis further revealed that HPI-GA-stabilized systems exhibited a more elastic and weakly frequency-dependent response, whereas HPI-SA formulations showed greater frequency sensitivity. Lower shift factor (αSF) values for HPI-GA-stabilized HIPEs indicated a stronger deviation from the Cox-Merz rule, reflecting a more elastic and structurally organized network. These rheological differences were reflected in extrusion-based 3D printing performance, with HPI-GA conjugates favoring cohesive, gel-like HIPE networks, while HPI-SA conjugates primarily contributed to droplet-level stabilization via reduced droplet size and enhanced electrostatic repulsion.

The aim of this study is to provide an alternative bakery practice by evaluating the effects of cold fermentation (backslopping at 7 and 15 °C) and cold storage (stored at 7 and 15 °C) after backslopping on Type I sourdough characteristics and the technological performance of the corresponding breads. Sourdough characteristics (pH, acidity, and microbial counts), bread quality (texture and color), storage behavior, and volatile compound profiles (VoC) were investigated to compare the extent to which these treatments improve product quality. No significant difference was observed in pH and total titratable acidity among the sourdoughs. However, the fermentation quotient of the cold storage group was higher than that of the cold fermented group. Backslopping at cold fermentation temperatures (7 and 15 °C) caused a significant reduction in lactic acid bacteria counts. Conversely, cold fermentation and cold storage at 15 °C led to a significant increase in yeast counts. From a technological perspective, bread produced with sourdough backslopped at 15 °C exhibited a higher specific volume than breads produced with the other cold-treated sourdoughs. At the end of the storage period, the bread made with cold-backslopped sourdough at 7 °C had the highest hardness value, while others remained similar. Principal component analysis (PCA) of volatile compounds revealed that cold-stored sourdoughs were clustered apart from room-temperature-stored sourdoughs, mainly driven by ethyl hexanoate and hexyl acetate. Heptanoic acid was among the key VOCs contributing to the positioning of breads made with cold-stored sourdoughs in the PCA. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that backslopping and storage at 15 °C offer an industrially relevant production strategy while improving textural properties and VoC profiles.

Bio-based fermented products have recently become increasingly important for both human health and sustainability due to the growing interest in healthy sustainable diets. In this study, spirulina was used as a substrate for the cultivation of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 23.2 in a 3 L bioreactor and emphasized the evaluation of the potential health effects of the obtained bioactive products. The antioxidant potential of bioactive products has been extensively studied using assays like DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) radicals, demonstrating its capacity to scavenge free radicals and mitigate oxidative stress. MTT and cell migration (scratch) assays reduced viability of Caco-2 cells and hindered cell migration cancer cells FS compared to unfermented spirulina (unFS) revealed that FS significantly reduced cell viability and migration in a dose-dependent manner, with the strongest effects observed at 5X dilution. In contrast, unFS showed weaker bioactivity. These findings highlight fermentation as a promising biotechnological approach to enhance the functional properties of natural compounds for cancer prevention and treatment. To summarize, the current study revealed that the potential of spirulina biomass to be a suitable media substrate for L. rhamnosus 23.2 strain. These findings will provide awareness toward milestone the health and food sector industrialization of FS products.

The invasive fish Atherina boyeri constitutes an ecologically disruptive yet underexploited biomass with strong potential for transformation into value-added biofunctional ingredients. This study investigates the functional, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of protein hydrolysates that were produced from fish collected in the Hirfanlı and Yamula reservoirs using three commercial proteases (alcalase, bromelain, and flavourzyme). Bromelain produced the highest degree of hydrolysis, yielding higher proportions of low-molecular-weight peptides and greater radical-scavenging activity. Flavourzyme hydrolysates exhibited the most favorable emulsifying properties, Alcalase hydrolysates produced the highest foaming capacity and stability. All hydrolysates showed high absolute zeta-potential values across pH 3–9, demonstrating strong colloidal stability. Protein solubility remained above 80% across most pH levels, indicating extensive peptide release and improved compatibility with aqueous media. The Oil-binding capacity (2.78–3.75 mL/g) was consistent with reported values for marine hydrolysates. Antioxidant and antimicrobial evaluations revealed clear enzyme-dependent patterns, with Bromelain exhibiting the strongest DPPH activity and Alcalase and Flavourzyme showing the most pronounced inhibition of major foodborne pathogens. Additionally, all hydrolysates exhibited measurable ACE-inhibitory activity, with flavourzyme-derived peptides showing the highest inhibitory activity, underscoring their potential relevance for antihypertensive applications. These findings highlight the strategic valorization of A. boyeri through enzymatic hydrolysis, demonstrating its potential as a sustainable, clean-label functional ingredient source.

This work aimed to produce six distinct ice creams: IC: control ice cream (without any probiotic or persimmon puree), ICP: ice cream with 20% persimmon puree, PIC: probiotic ice cream, FIC: fermented ice cream, ICFP: ice cream with 20% fermented persimmon puree, FICP: co-fermented ice cream with 20% persimmon puree. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG was used as the probiotic and fermentation agent. The addition of persimmon puree, probiotic inoculation and fermentation resulted in a reduction in the total dry matter content of the ice cream (P ? 0.05). Co-fermentation led to a notable reduction in the pH value, with the lowest pH observed in the FICP ice cream sample at 5.33 (P ? 0.05). The addition of persimmon puree resulted in a decrease in the L? values and an increase in both the a? and b? values of the ice cream samples. All ice cream samples exhibited pseudoplastic flow, and fermentation, persimmon puree addition and probiotic inoculation resulted in a reduction in K and hardness values. Co-fermentation had a protective effect on probiotic viability, with approximately 8.95 ± 0.01 log CFU g-1 of probiotic viability detected in the FICP ice cream sample after 120 days of storage. Furthermore, co-fermentation markedly enhanced the bioactive characteristics of the samples, with the FICP sample exhibiting the highest TPC, CUPRAC, and DPPH values (242.57 ± 11.52mg GAE 100g-1, 22.95 ± 0.29mg TE 100g-1, and 48.02 ± 3.27%, respectively). The study demonstrated that persimmon can be employed in the production of ice cream, with the co-fermentation of the ice cream mix promoting the viability of probiotics and enhancing the bioactive characteristics of the ice cream samples.

This study investigated the effects of incorporating colored wheat flours (red, blue, purple, and black) and replacing sucrose with xylitol on the technological, functional, and nutritional properties of cookies. Cookies were produced using 50:50 blends of colored whole wheat flours and refined cookie flour, and their physical, color, textural, phenolic, antioxidant, and in vitro glycemic index (GI) properties were evaluated. It has been determined that the addition of colored wheat flours significantly alters the textural properties. The incorporation of colored wheat flours significantly decreased width and increased thickness compared with the control cookies. The spread ratio of sucrose-containing cookies was higher (5.07 to 5.82) compared to xylitol-containing ones (4.91 to 5.41). Substitution of sucrose with xylitol generally reduced dough hardness. The colored wheat flour cookies had lower lightness values (52.31 to 63.18) compared to control samples (68.38 and 69.07 for sucrose and xylitol), while xylitol-based formulations produced slightly lighter cookies due to their lower browning potential. The cookies containing colored whole wheat flours exhibited higher hardness and brittleness than control cookies, likely due to their higher dietary fiber content, whereas xylitol resulted in softer cookies than sucrose. Cookies prepared with colored wheats showed significantly higher total phenolic content (367.41 and 424.87 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant capacity than the control samples (312.42 and 306.28 mg GAE/100 g for sucrose and xylitol), with purple wheat cookies exhibiting the highest values (424.69 and 424.87 mg GAE/100 g for sucrose and xylitol). Furthermore, colored wheat cookies demonstrated lower estimated GI values compared with control cookies (73.74 and 67.12), particularly those produced with blue wheat (66.68 and 60.94). Overall, the results indicate that colored wheat flours combined with alternative sweeteners such as xylitol can be used to develop cookies with improved antioxidant properties and moderated glycemic response while maintaining acceptable technological quality.