Nutritional Quality of Cookies Developed From Defatted Almond Seeds, Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato, and Wheat Flour Blends

The study assessed the nutritional quality, safety, and acceptability of cookies produced from composite flours containing wheat flour, defatted almond seed, and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP). Cookies were formulated using three blends: MPQ (90% wheat flour, 5% OFSP, 5% defatted almond), KYB (85% wheat flour, 10% OFSP, 5% defatted almond), and DHL (80% wheat flour, 10% OFSP, 10% defatted almond). A commercially produced 100% wheat flour cookie served as the control. Standard cookie production procedures were applied, and analyses were conducted for proximate composition, selected vitamins (A, C, and E), minerals (potassium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, calcium, and magnesium), anti-nutrients (phytate, tannins, and saponin), sensory attributes, and total bacterial count using AOAC (2005) methods. Results showed that cookies from composite flours had higher crude ash (3.98–4.50%), fat (17.94–19.31%), fiber (5.05–5.18%), and protein (7.73–8.26%) contents compared to the control (1.70%, 17.31%, 1.30%, and 7.58%, respectively). Vitamin A, C, and E contents of the experimental cookies ranged from 1.60–2.17 IU/100 g, 0.012–0.017 mg/100 g, and 1.72–2.29 mg/100 g, indicating improved micronutrient density. While the control sample contained higher phosphorus and magnesium levels, sodium, calcium, and potassium were significantly lower (p>.05) in the control than in the composite samples. Sensory evaluation by 50 panelists showed high acceptability with minimal differences among samples, and microbial counts remained low. Overall, the study demonstrates that incorporating defatted almond seed and OFSP into wheat-based cookies enhances nutritional quality and may reduce reliance on imported wheat flour supporting commercial viability.