Pakistan Journal of Food Sciences
An official publication of the Pakistan Society of Food Scientists and Technologists (PSFST)
ISSN (Print): 1605-2552 | ISSN (Online): 2226-5899
The incidence of diabetes has been increased significantly in recent years attributed to sedentary lifestyle and associated behavioral factors. However, this condition can be effectively managed through targeted modifications in lifestyle and dietary patterns. In response to increased consumer demand for healthier snack foods, this study focused on development and characterization of papaya enriched snack bars providing both energy and functional bioactives simultaneously. Papaya pulp powder and papaya leaf powder were added in different concentrations to formulate papaya-based energy bars (T0-T3). Roasted chickpea powder, apricot paste, and date paste were used as base ingredients. The papaya pulp, papaya leaf and the developed papaya-based bars were evaluated for proximate composition, antioxidant potential, sensory qualities. The bars were also tested for in vitro inhibitory activity of α-glucosidase, α-amylase for the evaluation of antidiabetic potential. The findings indicated a significant difference in the proximate composition, antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of the bars. The bars with added papaya pulp and papaya leaf (T1-T3) had higher levels of ash and crude fiber and better antioxidant activity as compared to the control (T0). Amongst bars, T3 showed the highest antioxidant potential determined by DPPH and FRAP assay. The enzyme inhibition activity of bars revealed that T3 was more effective in inhibiting both α-glucosidase and α-amylase indicating the strongest antidiabetic potential. Conclusively, the addition of papaya pulp and leaf powder improved the functional and nutritional properties of chickpea-based bars, without affecting the sensory attributes, indicating their suitability in development of functional snacks.
Over the recent years, scientific research uncovering the underlying cause of diabetes mellitus has thrived considerably, led by the ultimate development of treatment strategies and effective prevention. Diabetes Mellitus (DM), a group of metabolic disorders is characterized by hyperglycemia, resulting either from decreased or impaired insulin production or action. Diabetes mellitus with chronic hyperglycemia damages vital organs, including the retina of the eye, heart and nervous system, the kidney, and the blood vessels. Multiple environmental factors are implicated in the onset of DM, including obesity, inflammation, physical inactivity, and genetic predisposition. Globally, DM shows an increasing health crisis, with a high prevalence rate in Asian, African, and Eastern Mediterranean regions.
Diabetes Mellitus has been strongly associated with oxidative stress, characterized by excessive production of reactive oxygen species resultant to chronic hyperglycemia. This ultimately affects glucose metabolism, triggering chronic inflammation leading to impairment of pancreatic β-cells. Pharmacological intervention and lifestyle changes along with antioxidant rich diet has shown the potential to lower oxidative damage and prevent vascular and heart problems in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this context, plant foods with antioxidant and antihyperglycemic properties are being considered as complementary therapies.
Among such plants, papaya has gained scientific attention for its potential to lower blood glucose levels due to its high content of fiber, vitamin C, saponins, and flavonoids and offer practical benefits because of its affordability, nutrient density, and availability. Papaya leaf extracts are promising functional components in glycemic management. Owing to their rich phytochemical profile, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids papaya leaves can inhibit key carbohydrate-digesting enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase, increase insulin signaling, and decrease oxidative stress.
The increasing global prevalence of T2DM, the role of dietary management in glucose regulation and growing consumer demand for functional products emphasized the urgent need for the development of functional snack bars. Papaya pulp and papaya leaves, with their rich phytochemical profile, combined with other low-glycemic, antioxidant-rich ingredients such as chickpea powder, dried apricot paste, and dates, can be a promising strategy for functional snack formulations. In this context this study aimed to formulate papaya enriched snack bars by incorporating papaya pulp and papaya leaf into chickpea, apricot and date-based bars. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the nutritional composition, antioxidant properties and antidiabetic potential of the formulated bars.
Papaya pulp, papaya leaves roasted chickpeas, dates, and dried apricots were procured from local organic source. Analytical grade chemicals were used to evaluate the proximate composition, antioxidant and antidiabetic potential.
Four formulations of snack bars were developed to study the effect of incorporation of papaya pulp and papaya leaf powder on the nutritional, antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of the bars.
| Ingredients | T0 | T1 | T2 | T3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chickpea Powder (g) | 3.5 | 3.2 | 2.95 | 2.7 |
| Papaya Pulp Powder (g) | 0 | 0.25 | 0.5 | 0.75 |
| Papaya Leaf Powder (g) | 0 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Apricot Paste (g) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Date Paste (g) | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Total weight (g) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
The proximate composition of papaya pulp powder, papaya leaf powder and the papaya-based snack bars including ash, moisture, crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, and nitrogen-free extract was evaluated according to AACC methods. Ethanolic extracts were prepared and antioxidant capacity was measured using DPPH and FRAP assays. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were analyzed using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods. The anti-diabetic potential was assessed by α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays. Texture, color, and sensory evaluation were also performed. Statistical analysis was conducted in IBM SPSS Statistics 25 using one-way ANOVA and LSD post-hoc test.
The proximate composition of papaya leaf and pulp powder was analyzed to evaluate the nutritional profile. The proximate analysis of bars revealed statistically significant differences in moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and carbohydrate content due to enrichment with papaya pulp and papaya leaf powder.
| Treatment | Moisture (%) | Ash (%) | Protein (%) | Fat (%) | Fiber (%) | Carbohydrate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T0 | 38.75±0.07 | 3.65±0.02 | 5.62±0.03 | 1.40±0.01 | 1.02±0.03 | 48.26±0.04 |
| T1 | 39.23±0.09 | 2.33±0.01 | 5.32±0.02 | 1.52±0.10 | 1.41±0.01 | 50.19±0.15 |
| T2 | 39.80±0.17 | 2.65±0.01 | 5.33±0.02 | 1.56±0.09 | 1.41±0.02 | 48.11±0.11 |
| T3 | 38.52±0.15 | 2.66±0.01 | 5.41±0.03 | 1.63±0.02 | 1.38±0.02 | 50.40±0.18 |
The antioxidant potential and phytochemical composition of papaya-based snack bars demonstrated a clear and progressive enhancement with increasing papaya ingredient incorporation. T3 recorded the highest values for total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, DPPH scavenging, and FRAP.
| Treatments | TPC (mg GAE/g) | TFC (mg QE/g) | DPPH (% inhibition) | FRAP (µmol TE/g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T0 | 1.25±0.00 | 35.63±0.01 | 40.80±0.03 | 0.64±0.06 |
| T1 | 1.39±0.00 | 57.55±0.00 | 58.09±0.11 | 0.65±0.01 |
| T2 | 1.47±0.00 | 60.71±0.01 | 75.50±0.03 | 0.83±0.01 |
| T3 | 1.56±0.03 | 70.21±0.00 | 79.98±0.01 | 0.96±0.00 |
The enzyme inhibition results demonstrated a consistent and significant dose-dependent increase in inhibitory activity across both enzyme assays as the proportion of papaya pulp powder increased from T0 to T3. T3 consistently exhibited superior inhibition across both α-amylase and α-glucosidase.
| Treatments | α-Amylase % Inhibition | α-Glucosidase % Inhibition |
|---|---|---|
| T0 | 10.2 ± 0.5 | 12.1 ± 0.6 |
| T1 | 22.4 ± 0.8 | 28.3 ± 1.0 |
| T2 | 27.3 ± 0.9 | 33.5 ± 1.1 |
| T3 | 30.1 ± 1.0 | 37.0 ± 1.2 |
Texture analysis showed that hardness values were remarkably consistent across all formulations, indicating that progressive substitution of chickpea powder with papaya pulp powder did not significantly alter structural integrity. Color analysis demonstrated a systematic and progressive decrease in lightness from T0 to T3. Sensory evaluation revealed that T1 and T2 achieved the most favorable scores, while T1 represented the best practical balance between functionality and consumer acceptability.
Functional snack bars are innovative products with enhanced bioactive and nutritional potential that are suitable for both children and adults. The present study showed that inclusion of papaya leaf and papaya pulp influenced the nutritional, physical and bio-functional potential of the developed bars. Papaya-based bars demonstrated increased antioxidant capacity, higher phenolic and flavonoid content, meaningful in vitro antidiabetic activity, and acceptable sensory properties.
The antioxidant assay revealed that with increase in concentration in bars (T1–T3), a progressive increase in scavenging activity was observed, signifying that phenolics and flavonoids in papaya directly contribute to functional bar’s ability to neutralize radicals. The in vitro antidiabetic potential of the bars was assessed via inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, two key carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes that regulate the rate of glucose absorption. T3 consistently exhibited superior inhibition across both enzymes, confirming that higher papaya pulp concentrations deliver greater antidiabetic functional activity.
The sensory evaluation revealed that most participants liked T0 and T1 most in terms of taste, aftertaste and overall acceptability. Other characteristics like texture, aroma and appearance did not show major differences across treatments. Overall, the bars containing papaya pulp powder and leaf powder showed highest antioxidative capacity, phenol contents, flavonoid content, strong in vitro antidiabetic potential and good overall sensory acceptability.
This study successfully developed and characterized papaya-enriched snack bar formulations incorporating papaya pulp powder and papaya leaf powder alongside roasted chickpea powder, apricot paste, and date paste. Progressive incorporation of papaya derivatives significantly enhanced antioxidant capacity, total phenolic and flavonoid content, and in vitro antidiabetic enzyme inhibitory activity, with T3 achieving the highest functional performance. Sensory evaluation identified T1 as the optimal balance between functional enrichment and consumer acceptability. These findings suggest papaya-enriched snack bars as affordable, accessible, and nutritionally enhanced functional foods with antioxidant and antidiabetic potential relevant to dietary management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
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