Abstract
This study aimed to improve the effects on the physical, textural, and rheological characteristics of cake supplied with Ziziphus jujuba fruit powder at rates of 0%, 3%, 5%, and 10%. The Physicochemical and antioxidant as well as the antibacterial activity and sensory qualities of Z. jujuba fruits were also investigated. The highest levels reached the values of 245.15 mg GAE/g DW (phenol) and 180.23 mg RE/g DW (flavonoids). Pulp extracts were also subjected to HPLC analysis in order to identify and quantify the sugar composition. This technique allowed us to identify Mahdia as the richest provenance especially in glucose (136.51%) and sucrose (113.28%) contents. The antioxidant activities investigated using DPPH assay decreased slightly from 175 μg/mL (Sfax) to 55 μg/mL (Mahdia). Furthermore, the antibacterial activity indicated that the S. aureus was the most inhibited especially by Sfax powder extracts (from 12 to 20 mm). Our results showed that the incorporation of Z. jujuba powder ameliorated the physicochemical and rheological characteristics (humidity, gluten yield, tenacity, falling time, and configuration) of the dough. Sensory analysis showed that consumer scores were increased with the increasing supplementation powder levels. Highest scores attributed to the cake supplied with 3% jujube powder collected from Mahdia provenance and confirmed that Ziziphus fruit could be advised a part of our diet. These results could validate a novel method to conserve Z. jujuba fruits in order to avoid their soilages for a long period.