For this master's thesis, we conducted a study on the impact of sugar substitutes on the physical, chemical, and sensory properties of sponge cakes. We made five sponge cakes: one with sucrose (control), and others with erythritol, trehalose, xylitol, and agave syrup. The experiment was repeated three times. We measured the reverse extrusion and density of the cake batters, as well as the specific volume, sensory analysis, Texture Profile Analysis (TPA), basic chemical parameters, hydration properties, crust and core color, height difference before and after baking, and relative acrylamide content of the baked sponge cakes. The sugar substitutes used affected the density of the cake batters, as well as the height and specific volume of the baked sponge cakes. However, the cake batters did not differ significantly in the measured reverse extrusion parameters, nor did the cakes differ in their hydration properties. We observed differences in instrumentally measured textural parameters (TPA) among the cakes, with the maximum hardness and gumminess measured in cakes with the addition of erythritol and agave syrup. The sponge cakes also varied significantly in water, protein, ash content, and calculated energy values. Based on the results of the sensory analysis, the sponge cake with xylitol was the most similar to the control cake, while the sponge cake with agave syrup was rated the worst due to its compactness, significantly darker crust, and caramelized/burnt taste. The relative content of acrylamide was higher in all sponge cakes with sugar substitutes, except for the cake made with trehalose.
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