Development, Acceptability, and Shelf Life of a Gluten-Free Fruit and Whole Grain Snack

Abstract

<p>Snacking and food allergies are topics of increasing interest. Many on-the-go snacks, specifically granola products, do not meet the needs of children with food allergies. The goal of this project was to create a bite-sized, gluten-free fruit and whole grain snack featuring international flavors for children under the age of eleven. Additionally, this snack could not contain these common allergens: gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, fish, and peanuts. A final parameter chosen was for the product to provide over half a serving of fruit per serving. The methods included optimal formula development, process flow diagram generation, acceptability feedback, and shelf-life estimation. A sensory panel, involving a 5-point hedonic liking test, was conducted with 99 fourth grade students to evaluate overall product acceptability. Analytical procedures, including water activity and lipid oxidation quantification (using gas chromatography), were analyzed for shelf-life estimation, with water activity exceeding 0.6 being chosen as the failure parameter. The estimated shelf life is conservatively predicted at 6 weeks at 20°C. Fifty-one percent of the sample population liked the snack, with an additional 33% recording neutral scores. These data indicate a nutritious, uniquely flavored snack, free of many top food allergens was successfully created for the target market.</p>