The Quality and Bioactive Compounds of Cauliflower Flour-Supplemented Biscuits: Their Potential as a Functional Food for Treating Anaemia in Adolescent Students

Abstract

Background: Cauliflower leaves are normally redundant and contain high nutritional value. As a result, recovering and using bioactive chemicals from cauliflower leaves is a significant difficulty. The antioxidant capacity of edible parts of cauliflowers is widely studied and has been associated with their flavonoids and phenolic acids contents. The cauliflower leaves powder could be used to treat anaemia or iron deficiency. Objective: This study was carried out to produce biscuits made from different ratios (5, 10 and 20%) and different part s of cauliflower (stalk, leaves and flower) flour and wheat flours samples. Methods: In this study, replacement of wheat flour with cauliflower stalk flour (CSF), cauliflower flower flour (CFF) and cauliflower leaf flour (CLF) in baked biscuit products and their effect on on chemical composition and biochemical compounds contents, Also, effect of cauliflower stem flour (CSF) supplementation biscuit functional with on blood haemoglobin levels of anaemic adolescent students and mineral content. Results: There was a general increase in the protein content of the biscuit with increase in the addition of cauliflower part flour. Biscuits made from 80% wheat flour 20% L. powder had high content in chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B and Total chlorophyll, total carotenoids and vitamin C. followed by L10%- biscuit. The control wheat flour had the lowest TPC and L20 biscuit had the highest TPC. The cauliflower flours parts were significantly different from the control wheat flour; however, there was increasing observed with addition of 5% F into 95% wheat flour and cauliflower addition of L and S into 80% wheat flour. All biscuit mixes to CL flour which were added at an addition rate of 20% had higher values for the following minerals (Fe, Zn, and Cu), While the lowest value was recorded in the L5% biscuit mixture. The combination of cauliflower powder with fortified ingredients in biscuits can help improve haemoglobin levels in children. Vitamin C from cauliflower, despite some degradation during baking, can still contribute to the overall nutritional profile of the biscuits, enhancing the body's ability to absorb iron. In conclusion, cauliflower flour (stalk, leaves and flower) flour can be used as an alternative functional ingredient to partially replace wheat flour in biscuit formulation due to its ability to improve nutritional quality with high biochemical compounds and mineral contents without compromising sensorial palatability. However, baked biscuits with cauliflower powder offer a promising, childfriendly solution to improving iron absorption and combating anaemia. Although some nutrient loss occurs during processing, the combination of cauliflower’s inherent nutritional benefits and the popularity of biscuits among children make this an effective strategy to address nutritional deficiencies in a practical, accessible way. In future, it can be applied these results at industrial scale as a functional food