Development of Healthy and Clean-Label Crackers Incorporating Apple and Carrot Pomace Flours

The valorization of fruit and vegetable side-streams from the juice industry is an important contribution to the optimization of food resources and is an environmentally friendly practice in line with the concepts of circular economy and sustainability. The aim of this work is to incorporate them back into the food value chain by adding them as ingredients in staple foods like crackers. This is also important in terms of food fortification, as they are rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds. Crackers are popular snacks with a huge global market value, enjoyed by consumers of all ages. The current study aims to integrate flour from dried apple and carrot pomaces, resulting from juice processing, as natural ingredients with potential health benefits. The incorporation levels ranged from 20 to 40% dry weight in crackers, and their impact on physicochemical and mechanical properties was evaluated, as well as bioactivity (potential impact on health) and sensory acceptance. The addition of pomaces resulted in significant changes in texture and color, as well as enhancing the antioxidant activity of the crackers. Crackers containing pomace flours, except for the cracker with 40% carrot pomace, showed a high overall sensory acceptability and good intentions to buy.