Apple peel flour instead of sugar in sponge cake: Nutritional, sensory, physical, and microbiological evaluation.

This article focuses on evaluating the replacement of 25% and 50% of sugar with apple peel flour (APF) in sponge cakes, assessing nutritional composition, sugar profile, microbial growth, sensory acceptability, color, and specific volume. The study found that incorporating APF increases dietary fiber and polyphenol content while reducing total sugars and caloric value, with the 25% sugar replacement (C25) sample showing the highest sensory preference and acceptability due to its fruity and pleasant aroma and flavor. However, APF addition led to decreased specific volume and did not inhibit mold growth, resulting in a shelf life of five days. Instrumental color analysis revealed that APF darkens the cakes and alters color tones compared to the control. Overall, replacing 25% of sugar with APF in sponge cakes offers a nutritionally improved product with favorable sensory qualities, while also contributing to food waste reduction by valorizing apple peels.