Investigation of the effects of corn flour, Spirulina powder, and buffalo yogurt on the quality characteristics of gluten-free muffins.

This article investigates the effects of corn flour (CF), Spirulina powder (SP), and buffalo yogurt (BY) on the quality of buckwheat flour-based gluten-free muffins using a Box-Behnken experimental design. The study found that substituting buckwheat flour with CF and SP and replacing milk with cow or buffalo yogurt did not adversely affect muffin properties, with yogurt-containing muffins receiving favorable sensory scores. Increasing SP content led to firmer muffins and darker color due to its pigments but did not significantly enhance total soluble polyphenol content (TPC) or radical scavenging activity (RSA) at the tested levels. Optimization suggested formulations with low or no CF and SP to maximize antioxidant properties, while sensory acceptance of SP-containing muffins was moderate, indicating a need for strategies to mask SP's bitterness for broader consumer acceptance.