Use of Annurca Apple Peel Flour (Malus domestica) and Cherry Seed Oil in the Formulation of Enriched Crackers

The Annurca variety of Malus domestica is recognized for its high content of bioactive substances, making it a promising candidate for the production of functional foods. The addition of specific components—such as antioxidants, dietary fibers, and enzyme inhibitors—can offer health-enhancing effects and help mitigate the risk of various diseases. In this research, we made lab-scale cracker prototypes fortified with dried, ground Annurca apple peels at two inclusion levels (5% and 10%, referred to as S1 and S2), as well as cold-pressed cherry seed oil. We investigated their in vitro inhibitory effects on key digestive enzymes and estimated their predicted glycaemic index. Both fortified versions showed inhibition of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase activities. The IC₅₀ values (mg/g dry weight) for S1 and S2 were, respectively: α-amylase 55 and 38; α-glucosidase 118 and 68; lipase 45 and 35. Furthermore, the enriched crackers demonstrated lower predicted glycaemic indices compared to the control samples, without apple peels. We also measured water holding capacity (WHC) and oil holding capacity (OHC), finding no significant variations relative to the control. The aroma profile evolution was monitored using an electronic nose at scheduled intervals, and notable differences were detected in the samples after three months of storage. Overall, our findings indicate that Annurca peel flour and cherry seed oil, due to their valuable functional components, can be successfully used to formulate food products with potential health benefits and stable shelf-life.

The authors would like to acknowledge the support from National Recovery and Resilience Plan Project “National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies, Agritech”, Spoke 8 “New models of circular economy in agriculture through the valorization and recycle of wastes” [CUP B83C22002840001], supported by the Italian Ministry of University.