Effect of Urtica pilulifera seed mucilage on physico-chemical, rheological and sensory properties of sponge cake

Abstract

<strong><span>Background & aim</span></strong><span>: Roman nettle(<em>Urtica pilulifera</em>) is a herbaceous annual flowering plant in the family Urticaceae with great nutritional and medicinal value and its various organs have been used to treat diseases for a long time. The seeds of this plant are rich in mucilage. In this study, the effect of Roman nettle mucilage on the physico-chemical and textural properties of the cake was evaluated.</span><br /> <strong><span>Experimental</span></strong><span>: In this study, the effect of different percentages Roman nettle mucilage (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5%) on the texture and sensory characteristics of sponge cake has been investigated in a completely randomized design.</span><br /> <strong><span>Results</span></strong><span>: The results showed that the highest apparent density was related to the control sample and the use of nettle seed mucilage reduced this parameter in cake samples. Adding mucilage up to 0.3% reduces the firmness of the cake crust and crumb on the first day and at the end of the storage period (day 30), all samples containing mucilage showed more softness than the control sample. At the end of the storage period, the highest and lowest overall acceptance were related to the samples containing 0.2% mucilage and the control sample, respectively. </span><br /> <strong><span>Recommended applications/ industries</span></strong><span>: The use of Roman nettle mucilage in bakery products, especially sponge cakes, can improve the rheological properties and increase the shelf life of the products.</span>