Multicriteria Optimization of Soft Wafer Formulation Based on Rye Flour and Apple Fiber Using Simplex-Centroid Design

Introduction. Traditional soft waffles have low biological value and insufficient dietary fiber. Despite the high nutritional potential of rye flour, systematic studies on its use as a key ingredient in soft waffle recipes are lacking. The main challenge lies in the technological complexity of replacing wheat flour with rye flour without compromising the structural, mechanical, and sensory properties of the product..

Purpose.  Optimization of the soft waffle recipe with the addition of rye flour to obtain a product with increased dietary fiber content and attractive organoleptic characteristics..

Materials and  Methods. The experiment included seven composition variants obtained using the simplex-centroid design method with variation boundaries: rye flour 40-70%, wheat flour 25-55%, and apple fiber 5-35%. Sample quality was assessed based on dietary fiber content (calculated) and organoleptic properties. Statistical processing and construction of composition-property models were performed in Statistica 12.0 using ANOVA (α = 0.05). The optimal composition was selected using the Excel Solver tool.

Results. A statistically significant linear model of the relationship between the quality of soft wafers and the recipe composition was obtained (p = 0.003; R2 = 0.944). It was found that achieving the target level of dietary fiber (6%) is impossible without the addition of apple fiber. However, its concentration above 20% led to a sharp decrease in the organoleptic assessment of the finished products. The optimal ratio of the mixture components was determined: rye flour - 46.0%, wheat flour - 37.3%, apple fiber - 16.7%. This composition provided a dietary fiber content of 6% (3.8 times higher than in soft wafers made from wheat flour) and an organoleptic rating of 8.5 points. Validation of the model confirmed the high accuracy of the forecast (deviation of the expert estimate from the calculated one is 0.2 points).

Conclusion. The feasibility of creating soft wafers using rye flour and apple fiber that meet the "high dietary fiber content" criterion (TR CU 022/2011) has been substantiated. The developed methodological approach enables an effective balance between the functional value and consumer properties of flour confectionery products.

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