Physicochemical Characterization of Carao Honey Flour (Cassia grandis) and Its Effects on the Sensory Attributes in a Cookie

Abstract

Carao honey is a potential functional ingredient that can generate added value to food products enriched by reducing waste. In many countries, carao has been utilized for therapeutic purposes since this type of plant extract can inhibit the growth against the most common dermatophytes, a pathogenic fungus that grows on the skin, mucous membranes, hair, nails, feathers, and other body surfaces, causing ringworm and related diseases. The physicochemical characteristics of the cookies were also investigated, which included aW, proximate analysis, hardness, and color. A sensory study was carried out to determine the rejection threshold, acceptability, purchase intent, and general taste of 90 consumers. The gluten-free cookies were prepared with carao honey as a partial substitute for rice flour in different percentages (0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10%). The carao honey proximate composition, rheological properties, and pasting properties were analyzed. It was emphasized that incorporating carao honey into cookies improves the ingredient’s sustainability. The impact of carao on the physicochemical and sensory properties of cookies was evident in color, flavor, and smell. According to the results, only samples with 2.5% carao were accepted regarding flavor and smell. Overall, liking scores, age, and flavor were the most significant predictors of purchase intent. The information given to panelists did not significantly (p < 0.05) influence liking scores only for cookies. According to physicochemical analysis, carao honey flour was high in carbohydrates (88%). The incorporation of carao produced cookies with darker colors and a softer texture. The study demonstrated that carao flour could be included to produce sensorial accepted cookies at a 2.5% addition level as an alternative in the food industry that benefits from environmental sustainability and, at the nutritional level, improves the availability of nutrients, mainly sugars and proteins.

1. Introduction

The use of unconventional raw materials presents an innovative and sustainable solution for developing functional foods [1]. Carao is becoming a plant of interest for the food industry due to its nutritional components and health benefits. Carao is a tree that can reach up to 30 m in height [2]. The flowers are hermaphrodite and irregular [2].

Food manufacturers must identify the allergens used in their production processes and evaluate their presence in products [3]. Celiac disease is a condition caused by an immune reaction to eating gluten. Gluten is a protein in foods containing wheat, barley, or rye. [4]. It is worth noting that substituting wheat flour with rice flour in baking products for the celiac population is practical. Its functional properties optimize industrial applications and allow the consumer to select a variety of rice flour products, providing a versatile and practical alternative [5]. Carao is a plant with medicinal and therapeutic properties, and it has been used for many years in traditional medicine in Indigenous communities; its use consists of the treatment of fungi and other skin diseases [2]. Carao is also used in the bark, pulp, and seeds to treat gastrointestinal problems and other skin-related diseases [6].

Carao is a plant extract with nutritional components. A study by Benavides (2018) [7] reported that the total iron concentration determined in the Carao samples was between 0.46 mg/100 g and 0.56 mg/100 g. According to Floripe (2015) [8], the most suitable drug-solvent ratio determined by total solids count to extract metabolites in Cassia grandis fruit is one gram of pulp per 5 mL of hydroalcoholic solvent prepared at 70%. In its harvested state, porphyrins are not present. The carao sample from Jalapa is the one that has the highest amount of iron (9.55 mg/L) and the lowest amount of total saponins (4.40 g/L) in its extract. This difference in results may be due to the difference in climate in the two areas. The amount of iron found in the extract of carao is not enough to consider it alone an alternative treatment for iron deficiency anemia. According to Kotipalli et al. (2017) [9], carao leaves contain cardiotonic glycosides, saponins, anthraquinones, baracol, flavonoids, leucoanthocyanins, triterpenes, sesquiterpenlactones, alkaloids, iron, and tannins. The carao seed contains flavonoids, polysaccharides, toxic substances, and nutritional inhibitors; the latter are phytic acid and tannins.

Carao fruit possesses the potential to be a bioactive ingredient, owing to its rich macro and micronutrient content and impressive antioxidant capacity [2]. It serves as a precursor of vitamin A (retinol) due to its carotenoid content. This fruit contains 47 bioactive molecules from the flavonoid group with promising medicinal use. With its phytochemical quality, carao emerges as a functional ingredient that could revolutionize special diets. Its use in intestinal cells in vitro has been shown to prevent inflammation and cell death, hinting at a new potential pharmaceutical effect [2]. As a result, this research background allows us to base our study on demonstrated results, emphasizing the contribution of nutritional content that carao can provide to cookies. Carao honey can be used, given its nutritional value, to generate greater added value and reduce waste. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the physicochemical characterization of carao honey flour and its effects on the sensory attributes of a biscuit with the aim of taking advantage of its nutritional content and developing a gluten-free and low-sugar product.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Plant Material and Carao Flour Preparation

Carao fruit was collected in Catacamas Municipality, Olancho Department, Honduras. Once the carao was received, a selection process was carried out to ensure food safety and allow for the preparation of plant material and carao flour (Figure 1). Carao fruit was manually peeled, and the pulp was separated. Later, the pulp was mixed with water (10% wt./wt.) and stored frozen (−80 °C) until it was lyophilized (LIOTOP model L 101). The obtained solution was lyophilized at −73 to −76 °C and 0.1–0.3 Pa for 48 h. The flour was packaged in low-density polyethylene bags with a capacity of 5 lb. Lyophilized carao flour obtained a particle size range between 150 μm and 450 μm.

2.2. Cookies Preparation

The cookies were produced using Carao honey powder (treatments), rice flour (36,5%), butter (15%), sugar (7.8%), stevia (0.7%), cranberry (4%), vanilla (1.1%), soda (0.4%), and egg (11%). The meticulous process of producing the cookies (Figure 1) began with precisely weighing the ingredients according to the formulation obtained, underscoring the crucial role of each staff member in the production process. Then, the ingredients (caraway honey flour, rice flour, margarine, sugar, stevia, blueberry, vanilla, soda, and egg) are mixed together to make the dough. The mixture was made in a mixer (Towallmark, Pekín, China) for 1 h at 20 °C at 60 rpm. The cookies were 0.55 cm thick and weighed 10.05 cm before baking. Then, the product was placed on baking paper on the trays and in the oven at a controlled temperature of 350 °F for 18 min (Labconco oven, model 780601030, Kansas, MO, USA). Finally, the product was cooled, packed in Ziploc plastic bags, and stored for 4 h before further analysis.

2.3. Proximate Analysis of Flours and Cookies

The chemical analysis of white rice flour, carao honey, and cookies was conducted at the Food Analysis Laboratory facilities of Zamorano University, Valle del Yeguare, San Antonio de Oriente Municipality, Francisco Morazán Province, Honduras. The comprehensive analysis included ash (AACC method 08_01.01), fat (AACC Method 30_20.01), moisture (AACC method 44_01.01), carbohydrate (differential method), and protein (AACC Method 46_13.01) [10,11,12], ensuring a thorough understanding of the chemical composition of these food items.

2.4. RVA and DSC Analyses of Rice Flour with Carao

The viscosity profile was examined in triplicate using a Rapid Visco analyzer (RVA-4, Newport Scientific Pty. Ltd., Warriewood, Australia) employing the AACC method (Method 76-21). The state transition generated during the heating of the white rice flour with carao honey in a water solution was examined in triplicate utilizing a Differential Scanning Calimeter (DSC) (TA Q100, TA Instruments, Newcastle, DE, USA). A total of 10 mg of flour were placed in steel-sealed pans with 20 μL of distilled water. In the DSC, a temperature ramp ranging from 15 °C to 230 °C at 6.5 °C/min was applied to estimate the Tc (offset temperature), Tp (onset temperature), and ∆H (enthalpy) [13].

2.5. Rheological Properties of Cookie Dough

The cookie’s dough rheological examinations were analyzed in triplicates using a farinograph (Brabender, Duisburg, Germany). The ICC 115/1 procedure [14] was employed for the farinograph analysis to study the influence of carao honey on the degree of water absorption (WA), dough development time (DDT), softening (DS), water absorption (WA), dough stability (ST) [14].

2.6. Physico-Chemical Analysis of Cookies

Water activity (Aw): It was carried out using an Aqualab 4TE. Before using the equipment, it was calibrated with the known 0.150 Aw solutions, which are included in the equipment calibration kit. Afterward, the sample (10 g) of cookies was introduced into the measurement chamber; the analysis was carried out with three samples in triplicate with slight modifications [15].

Color: The L*, a*, and b* measurements were meticulously evaluated from three samples (10 g) in triplicate, and the values were then averaged. The color characteristics were assessed using a Chroma meter CR-410 Konica Minolta INC (Tokyo, Japan) colorimeter, which was calibrated with a white standard Yxy to determine the luminosity values [16].

Texture: The hardness of the cookies was determined using a texture analyzer (TA. a pre-test speed = 1.6 mm/s; a trigger force = 30 g; a test speed = 2.20 mm/s; and a test speed of 12 mm/s with a distance of 10 mm [17].

2.7. Consumer Sensory Study

Sensory analysis was performed in partitioned booths at the UNAG Sensory Lab (Olancho, Honduras). Qualtrics online survey software XM Version (Qualtrics, Provo, UT, USA) was used for questionnaire presentation and response collection. A sensory test was also carried out to determine the rejection threshold for each evaluated characteristic of the cookie (appearance, aroma, color, flavor, texture, granularity, and general acceptability). The characteristics of the cookie were evaluated effectively with a 9-point hedonic scale, a widely used tool in sensory analysis where 1 represents ‘I dislike it extremely’ and 9 represents ‘I like it extremely’, with 90 consumers (56% female; 44% male) (6% Baby Boomer Generation; 4% Generation X; 57% Millennials; 33% Generation Z).

Finally, purchase intention and overall liking were evaluated before and after a sustainability statement. This study was carried out with untrained judges to obtain the rejection threshold, learn consumers’ opinions regarding the different characteristics, and evaluate purchase intention. The Honduran Association of Physicians-Nutritionists (ASOHMENU), a respected authority in the field, approved this study with form # AS-ASHOMENU-005-2022, adding to its credibility and trustworthiness.

2.8. Statistical Analysis

The analysis of the results of the sensory evaluation was carried out through an analysis of variance ANOVA using LSD for the determination of significant differences using Tukey’s homogeneity test with a level of 5% significance for the hypothesis contrast, the Mcnemar analysis for purchase intention before and after the sustainability statement, a T-test with dependent samples to find differences between acceptability for the attributes, the results were analyzed using SAS 9.4 with an alpha of 0.05 and expressed in arithmetic means and standard deviation. The overall product differences across samples, simultaneously evaluating all sensory liking scores, were analyzed using Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and descriptive discriminant analysis (DDA) were used to determine. A dependent t-test was used to determine differences in OL, and a McNemar test was used to analyze the effect of HBI on before and after purchase intent. Logistic regression analysis (LRA) was performed to examine the impact of sensory liking scores on PI.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Proximate Analysis of Carao Honey Flour and Cookies

Table 1. Chemical composition of carao honey flour (CHF), white rice flour (WRF), and cookies (C).

Sample	Moisture (%)	Ash (%)	Protein (%)	Fat (%)	Carbohydrates (%)
CHF N/A	3.1 ± 0.24	0.19 ± 0.04	8.02 ± 1.05	0.4 ± 0.01	87.7 ± 0.33
WRF N/A	10.04 ± 1.45	0.7 ± 0.05	5.5 ± 2.34	3.0 ± 0.32	79.5 ± 1.35
C-CHF 0%	10.9 ± 1.05	2.6 ± 0.12	3.9 ± 0.55	33.4 ± 1.12	48.1 ± 1.35 a
C-CHF 2.5%	10.5 ± 0.98	2.7 ± 0.22	3.9 ± 0.36	32.5 ± 1.31	50.4 ± 1.55 b
C-CHF 5%	9.7 ± 1.12	2.6 ± 0.35	4.1 ± 0.39	33.3 ± 1.05	51.7 ± 1.21 c
C-CHF 10%	9.9 ± 1.07	2.7 ± 0.18	4.0 ± 0.63	32.5 ± 1.24	52.5 ± 1.62 c

Means followed by different letters in the column differ by the Tukey test (p < 0.05). Note: The 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10% C-CHF treatments correspond to the CHF addition of 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10%, respectively. N/A = comparison of means does not apply.

shows the proximate analysis of carao honey flour and cookies fortified with carao having a low moisture (3.1%), ash (0.19%), protein (8.02%), and fat (0.4%) content. What is particularly intriguing is the high carbohydrate content (87.7%), a critical factor in the nutritional composition of these products. Flour contains humidity values of 7–12%, which is expected for these foods since their exposure to high humidity levels produces a proliferation of fungi and bacteria. According to the Codex Alimentarius, the quality guide for foods, products such as oats [18], whole corn flour, corn flour, and semolina should not exceed 15% humidity [18]. Therefore, the analyzed samples meet these quality standards. Honey is one of the most primitive foods that man used to nourish himself. Its composition is complex, and carbohydrates represent the most significant proportion, among which fructose and glucose stand out. It also contains minor substances, including enzymes, amino acids, organic acids, and antioxidants [19]. Honey is also rich in minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins C, K, B1, B2, and B6. A study on the use of the nutritional and pharmacological benefits of Cassia fistula and Cassia grandis trees for the benefit of the Caucasian population showed that the set of leaves and branches of the carao tree contains up to 15.6% crude protein, compared to the foliage. The leaves branches have a higher protein content than in carao honey flour, meaning that the protein content in carao honey is low. The low protein content in carao honey flour may raise concerns about its nutritional value. Still, it is important to note that the incorporation of carao honey flour did not significantly modify the nutritional composition of the cookie formulations. Nevertheless, adding carao honey flour increased the carbohydrate content of cookies. This aligns with global product development tendencies, which are directed toward adding new food sources to food products [20].

3.2. Rheological Properties of Carao Cookie Dough

Table 2. Farinograph test results of cookie dough.

Sample	* WA (%)	* DDT (min)	* DS (min)	* DSS (UB)	* DT (mmH2O) × 10−4
C-CHF 0%	41.4± 0.65 a	2.0 ± 0.56 b	6.5 ± 0.34 a	55.5 ± 5.54 b	84.5 ± 3.55 b
C-CHF 2.5%	41.7 ± 0.73 a	2.0 ± 0.76 b	6.4 ± 1.23 a	53.3 ± 5.34 b	82.7 ± 3.05 b
C-CHF 5%	39.5 ± 0.51 a	2.0 ± 0.67 ab	7.5 ± 0.67 b	50.0 ± 4.32 b	80.1 ± 3.36 b
C-CHF 10%	38.0 ± 0.84 b	2.2 ± 0.87a	8.0 ± 0.87 c	47.5 ± 3.97 a	78.8 ± 3.11 a

Means followed by different letters in the column differ by the Tukey test (p < 0.05). * The 0%, 2.5%, 5% and 10% C-CHF treatments correspond to the CHF addition of 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10%, respectively. DT = dough tenacity, DS = degree of softening, DDT = dough development time, WA = water absorption, ST = dough stability.

presents the crucial farinograph test results, providing valuable insights into the properties of carao cookie dough. The addition of carao powder significantly influenced water absorption, dough stability (DS), and dough development time (DDT), offering intriguing insights into the unique properties of carao. The minimal reduction in water absorption, along with the noticeable increase in DS and DDT, not only enhances but also empowers the knowledge of the baking industry professionals.

Dough stability is the capacity of rounded dough to keep its shape during proofing. It shows the ability of gas cells to maintain their shape and volume during expansion to avoid collapse and rupture of dough structure. Dough development time indicates protein quality; stronger flours typically require a longer development time than weaker flours. On the other hand, the inclusion of carao powder showed a decline in the degree of softening (DSS) and dough tenacity (DT), highlighting potential challenges in dough preparation. The increase of DS and DDT and the reduction of DSS and DT with carao powder addition could be associated with carao carbohydrate content. This phenomenon could be related to the slowdown of gluten hydration and development driven by the rice flour protein and the carao carbohydrates [21,22]. In other words, carao’s carbohydrates could slow starch hydration and the expansion of the gluten network, directing to an upsurge in DS and DDT and a drop in DSS and DT.

3.3. Pasting Properties of Rice Flour with Carao

Figure 2 presents the pasting properties, delivering valuable insights into the effects of carao incorporated into rice flour. The peak viscosity, total setback viscosity, breakdown viscosity, final viscosity, and minimum viscosity values of the rice flour with carao honey mixture were lower than that of the rice flour alone. This trend could be because of the higher carbohydrate content of carao when compared to rice flour (Table 1). Carao honey could degenerate the gluten-forming properties of the paste in the absence of proteins in starch, which bind. Sathivel et al. (2013) [23] explicitly studied honey’s impact on wheat flour’s pasting properties and indicated a considerable reduction in peak viscosity, total setback viscosity, breakdown viscosity, final viscosity, and minimum viscosity values.

3.4. DSC Analysis of Rice Flour with Carao

Rice flour alone showed the most elevated transition enthalpy (ΔH) compared to carao samples. When carao honey was added to rice flour, the enthalpy declined. This could be attributed to the decreased Freezable Water (FW) fraction when carao was incorporated into rice flour. The drop in freezable water content indicates that more water was evolving, immobilized, and wrapped in the rice flour matrix with more time because of staling [24]. Sugar liquefies in water, but it does not break into any ions. All of these impurities will drop the freezing point of water. Mohamed and Chinachoti (2000) [25] and Roos (1995) [26] indicated that the concentration of impurities such as sugars would lower the water’s freezing temperature, which, at this point, could be observed as a drop in freezable water (FW) fraction when carao was incorporated into rice flour. Thus, the decline in freezable water can promote moisture migration and starch crystallinity structure during staling [27].

3.5. Physicochemical Properties of Cookies

The carao honey’s hardness in cookies was notable (

Table 3. Physical–chemical properties and sensory characteristics of carao honey cookies.

Attribute	CP Replacement Levels
	Control (0%)	T1 (2.5%)	T2 (5%)	T3 (10%)
Physical-Chemical Properties
L*	75.64 ± 3.74 a	71.37 ± 2.34 b	68.82 ± 2.45 c	64.82 ± 2.35 d
a*	10.12 ± 1.15 a	12.73 ± 1.34 b	16.08 ± 0.92 c	15.55 ± 1.46 c
b*	25.23 ± 0.65 a	27.61 ± 1.23 b	28.76 ± 1.07 c	30.27 ± 2.23 c
Chroma	27.18 ± 0.9 a	30.40 ± 1.3 b	32.92 ± 0.9 c	34.03 ± 1.8 d
∆E	N/A	5.55 ± 0.9 c	9.72 ± 0.7 b	13.11 ± 0.8 a
Water activity (Aw)	0.18 ± 0.01 a	0.18 ± 0.01 a	0.17 ± 0.02 a	0.17 ± 0.01 a
Hardness (g force)	7576.04 ± 234.65 a	7054.54 ± 321.49 b	7173.57 ± 269.87 b	7238 ± 207.65 b
Sensory Characteristics
Color	7.07 ± 1.26 a	6.54 ± 1.87 ab	6.03 ± 1.62 b	4.99 ± 1.67 c
Aroma	6.67 ± 1.76 a	6.15 ± 1.09 ab	6.05 ± 1.05 b	4.78 ± 1.67 c
Flavor	6.63 ± 1.65 a	6.26 ± 1.54 b	6.09 ± 1.86 b	4.76 ± 2.05 c
Texture	6.65 ± 1.34 a	6.32 ± 1.14 a	6.09 ± 1.76 ab	4.07 ± 1.16 c
Overall liking
Before	6.12 ± 1.45 a	5.05 ± 1.54 a	5.43 ± 1.43 b	4.05 ± 2.02 c
After	6.23 ± 1.56 a	5.09 ± 1.32 a	5.21 ± 1.32 b	4.01 ± 1.45 c
Purchase intent (%)
Before	65.25	51.50	42.50	36.50
After	64.50	50.50	45.75	33.75

Mean values in the same row followed by different letters are significantly different (p < 0.05) using the Tukey test. Note: The T1, T2, and T3 treatments correspond to the carao honey addition of 2.5%, 5%, and 10%, respectively. + Indicates significant differences (p < 0.05) in overall liking based on the dependent sample t-test, and purchase intent based on the McNemar’s test, comparing before and after consumers had been given the information about cricket powder health and environmental benefits.

). The carao honey’s hardness in cookies was reported to be significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those made without carao honey. Other investigations confirm that adding carbohydrates lowers the hardness of cookies [28], and it could be associated with increased water absorption. These results indicated that the dough’s water absorption capacity increased when carao honey was incorporated (

Table 4. Canonical structure describing group differences among cookies.

Attribute		Can 1	Can 2	Can 3
A
Texture		0.27984	0.09064	0.27368
Aroma		0.22352	0.2244	0.18216
Flavor		0.58872	0.1716	0.38456
Color		0.07128	0.10736	0.01672
Overall liking	Before	0.47892	0.05382	0.12246
	After	0.4641	0.06864	0.12714
Cumulative variance explained		0.2987	0.26364	0.23946
MANOVA Wilks’ p-value			0.025

Based on the pooled within in-group variances. Can 1, 2, and 3 refer to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd canonical discriminant functions, respectively.

), producing softer cookies. The L* values changed the cookies’ color to darker colors when carao honey was added. Baked goods become darker when proteins and carbohydrates intensify Maillard reactions [29]. Carao honey’s carbohydrates most likely reacted to the cookie formulation’s protein. On the other hand, a* and b* values followed the opposite trend, with values being higher when carao honey was added to cookies. The a* values verified that the cookies with carao honey had the highest a values. The increase in the a* value (increased redness) for the cookies with carao honey can be explained by the brownish pigmentation in C. grandis, which tends to be related to the a* color. The cookies that incorporate carao flour have brown-colored products from the thermal reactions. Additionally, the carao presents that same coloring naturally, which favors its sensory acceptance as, apparently, a cookie with chocolate.

In the same way, the cookies with carao honey had reasonably homogeneous behavior in all the analysis dates, with an increase in the green hue value (a) being demonstrated in the cookies with a higher percentage of carao. If the data are analyzed in detail, it can be seen that 10% of carao differs significantly from the other percentages. For the variable b*, which corresponds to blue and yellow, it can be determined that the tendency is towards yellow colors; however, as more carao is added in the formulation, the tendency for yellow decreases, with the highest values being those with 0% carao and the lowest being those with 10% carao. As a result, significant differences in ∆E and chroma values were found among the carao honey addition levels, indicating that panelists can effortlessly differentiate the cookie’s color. For water activity, carao honey incorporation did not influence the aW values.

3.6. Sensory Analysis of Cookies

From the sensory analysis, where the statistical averages of the attributes were determined, the cookies’ appearance, aroma, flavor, general texture, and liking were 2.5%, 5%, and 10% replacing rice flour with carao honey flour. Table 4 shows the liking scores for each attribute evaluated in each treatment’s carao honey flour cookies. Regarding appearance, aroma, flavor, general texture, and liking, control samples and 2.5% carao honey cookies show statistically significant differences compared to 5% and 10% carao honey cookies, which have the lowest scores. According to the test on the cookie’s liking scores, all the attributes were accepted for the 2.5% carao honey cookies. The aroma, color, aroma, texture, and flavor attributes for 5% and 10% carao honey cookies showed lower scores than 2.5% carao honey cookies. Regarding the sensory evaluation, Balasubramanian et al. (2012) [30] showed that up to 15% of the legume content can be incorporated into extruded products without having a sensory difference. Furthermore, Medina et al. (2023) concluded that carao flour could be added up to 1.3 g/L to yogurt. This differs from the results obtained in the sensory analysis of cookies with different percentages of carao honey flour since it was noticeable by the panelists that 63% of the panelists preferred cookies without carao honey flour [31]. However, 37% of the untrained panelists preferred cookies with added carao honey flour percentage. Generally, differences in color (a * and b *) and hardness may influence sensory acceptability (yes or no) of appearance, color, and texture (Figure 3), which is further discussed below.

3.7. Effects of Beneficial Information on Overall Liking and Purchase Intent

The information given to panelists did not significantly (p < 0.05) influence liking scores only for cookies, with 2.5% of carao honey (

Table 5. Odds ratio for predicting purchase intent.

Attributes	Before
	Pr > X2	Odds Ratio
Overall liking	<0.001	1.365
Consumption intent	<0.001	3.174
Gender	0.03204	1.40264
Age	0.02963	1.22286
Education	0.03115	0.50997
Color	0.41207	1.55127
Flavor	0.03382	1.23176
Aroma	0.07654	0.61766
Texture	0.16287	1.74084

Based on logistic regression analysis. Analysis of maximum likelihood estimates was used to obtain parameter estimates. The significance of parameter estimates was based on the Wald X² value at p < 0.05.

). However, the impact of carao honey on liking scores and purchase intent is a key finding that piques interest. There were discrepancies in overall liking scores among cookies made with 5% and 10% of carao honey compared to control samples. Similarly, the purchase intent of cookies was lower in carao honey cookies, with 5% and 10%, compared to control samples. Proactivity was seen as a quick fix, more like a check-up or a casual intention to improve the diet. Health concerns are at the forefront of purchasing decisions for all age groups worldwide [32] regarding foods, beverages, and supplements with functional ingredients that support the health needs of consumers.

3.8. Predicting Purchase Intent Using Logistic Regression Analysis

Adding carao honey to cookies was investigated by showing the effect of liking, gender, education, consumption intent, age, and hedonic responses on purchase intent (Table 5). Overall, liking scores, age, and flavor were the most significant predictors of purchase intent. Kerry’s research highlights that consumers are now seeking functional benefits from their favorite foods and beverages across all ages. However, it is also true that different groups have different interests and needs. Millennials are particularly likely to do extensive research before purchases. Generation Z consumers include sports performance, education, and work in their purchase criteria. They have a holistic approach to wellness and are interested in benefits such as improved sleep. Older and middle-aged consumers enter their 40s and 50s, and their focus changes, with greater emphasis on physical and cognitive health. Therefore, understanding the importance of demographic factors such as age and activity level can help food manufacturers create innovative, functional products [32]. Today’s world demands that people consider sustainable nutrition when choosing the best nutritional products. Consumers are looking for sustainable practices in their purchasing of foods and beverages.

4. Conclusions

The impact of carao in baking was highlighted by incorporating carao honey into cookies to improve the sustainability of the ingredients. The impact of carao on the physicochemical and sensory properties of cookies was evident in flavor and smell. The study demonstrates that carao flour can be included to produce sensorial accepted cookies at a 2.5% fortification level. In addition, it was highlighted that adding carao honey to the cookies improved sustainability. Consequently, smell and flavor modification should be the priority when improving the organoleptic properties of cookies. Preference mapping methods and conjoint examinations should be utilized in future studies to understand customer preferences and behavior better.