Production of the enriched muesli bars under minimal processing treatment

Abstract

Muesli bars is a generic term that refers to baked or cold-formed cereal-based snack bars, and may contain other ingredients such as fruit, nuts, seeds, chocolate, yoghurt, and a variety of other fillings and/or toppings. By chang-ing the ingredients nutritional value of muesli bar can be modified. In this research, protein-rich and energy-high muesli bars have been produced, because they contain a higher amount of fat, proteins and sugar. However, fats and sugars were not added but come from specific ingredients (hazelnuts, walnuts, chia seeds, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, oat flakes, etc.). Four muesli bar formulations were developed, two with hazelnuts and two with walnuts, added in the amount of 25% and 50%, respectively. The other ingredients were added in the same amount. The product was dried at 80°C for several hours. The composition, polyphenolic compounds and antiox-idant capacity were determined in the products before and after drying. Also, muesli bars were sensory evaluated.