Date of Award

Summer 7-2006

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors College Theses

Department

Family and Consumer Sciences

Second Advisor

Dr. Joyce W. O'Rourke

Third Advisor

Dr. Beverly Wade

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumer acceptance of fat substitutes as replacements for butter in chocolate chip cookies. This experiment was designed with the aim to examine how fat substitutes affect the sensory and physical qualities that contribute to acceptability of chocolate chip cookies. The fat substitutes used in my investigation included flaxseed meal, tofu, nonfat plain yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, white bean paste, and a shortening made of soy protein and canola oil known as Spectrum Spread. The fat content of the cookie dough consisted of 100% butter in the control and 25% butter and 75% substitute in each subsequent sample. The sensory analysis was conducted by sensory panelists, according to the testing procedures of IFT 1985 and Institutional Use of Humans in Research Guidelines. The results of the sensory analysis suggest that the ideal substitutes would be tofu, Spectrum Spread and white bean paste. The 75% tofu cookies ranked in the top three for each parameter and were second in color and overall acceptability behind the control. The 75% Spectrum Spread cookies were in the top three of moisture, texture, color and overall acceptability categories and ranked highest in moisture and texture overall. The 75% white bean paste cookies ranked in the top three of the texture, flavor and overall acceptability categories and ranked second in flavor behind the control. Data showed, flaxseed meal to be the least acceptable fat substitute in chocolate chip cookies.

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