title: The addition effect of Tunisian date seed fibers on the quality of chocolate spreads.
abstract: Novel chocolate spreads were enriched by soluble and insoluble dietary fibers from Tunisian Deglet Nour date seeds at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5% levels in the conventional chocolate spread. Defatted Deglet Nour date seeds, date seed soluble fiber concentrate (DSSFC) and date seed insoluble fiber concentrate (DSIFC) were characterized by high levels of dietary fibers (80-90%). Chocolate spread enriched with 5% of DSSFC presented the highest oil binding capacity (304.62%) compared to the control (102%). Whatever the DSIFC and DSSFC incorporation levels, no significant difference was recorded between the firmness, chewiness, and adhesiveness of prepared chocolate spreads compared to the control (p < .05). Sensory evaluation revealed that all prepared chocolate spreads enriched by DSIFC and DSSFC were accepted by panelists. These results indicated the value of date seeds as new source of dietary fibers to develop chocolate spread and could also improve health benefits and functional properties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tunisia is considered to be one of the dates-producing countries. The mean annual yield of date fruits is about 200,000 tons. From this, around 20,000 tons of date seeds could be collected. This by-product of date processing industries could be regarded as an excellent source of dietary fiber with interesting technological functionality and many beneficial effects on human health. Then, date seeds could present a value addition by extraction and use of date seed fiber concentrate in chocolate spread formulation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Analyse, valorisation et sécurité Alimentaire, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route de Soukra, Sfax, 3038, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bouaziz
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Analyse, valorisation et sécurité Alimentaire, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route de Soukra, Sfax, 3038, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abbes
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Analyse, valorisation et sécurité Alimentaire, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route de Soukra, Sfax, 3038, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Abir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mokni
authors.affiliation: Université de Liège, Gembloux-Agro-Biotec, Unité de Technologie des IAA, passage des Déportés 2, 5030, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blecker
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Analyse, valorisation et sécurité Alimentaire, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route de Soukra, Sfax, 3038, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hamadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Analyse, valorisation et sécurité Alimentaire, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Route de Soukra, Sfax, 3038, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Souhail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Besbes
mesh_terms: D002099:Cacao; D000069956:Chocolate / Q000032:analysis*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000032:analysis*; D019649:Food Industry; D063427:Food Quality; D005527:Food, Fortified / Q000032:analysis*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry; D006801:Humans; D007220:Industrial Waste; D065749:Phoeniceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014416:Tunisia; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D007220:Industrial Waste; D014867:Water
keywords: chocolate spread; date seeds; dietary fiber; functional properties