3.4.4. Instrumental texture
According to Table 6, there was no significant texture change
during the storage period (15 days). The results obtained in this
study were similar to those obtained by Singh and Mohamed
(2007), who verified that the protein content of soy flour did not
affect the texture of the resulting cookies. In contrast, Conforti and
Lupano (2004) showed a reduction in firmness of cookies prepared
with 5 g WPC/100 g. The maintenance of organoleptic characteristics
during storage, especially texture, is an essential factor for
these products, and the packaging and storage location are critical
to ensure product integrity. Texture is an important element in the
quality of cookies, directly affecting consumer acceptance and sales
(Gaines, Kassuba, & Finney, 1991). The cookies manufactured in this
study had lower firmness values than those found by Mareti,
Grossmann, and Benassi (2010), who obtained greater firmness
values (85e218 N) in cookies with partial replacement of wheat
flour by soy flour, oat bran and maltodextrin mixtures. Cookie
hardness is the result of sugar behavior during heating in the oven.
The sugar is dissolved in the dough water to form a highly
concentrated solution, and when the product cools after exiting the