Allulose as Alternative for Sucrose in Baked Goods: Implications for the Quality of Cookies

Substituting sucrose with allulose is a promising strategy for sugar reduction in baked products, although interactions with different flours and Maillard reaction pathways remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated the effects of stepwise allulose substitution (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) on the physicochemical properties, browning behaviour, Maillard reaction intermediates, and sensory acceptability of cookies made from different flour types (wheat, spelt, whole variants, and oats). The results showed that flour type significantly influences product structure, moisture retention, and color development. Increasing allulose concentrations enhanced browning and increased Maillard intermediates, confirming allulose reactivity. In wheat flour type 550 cookies, complete substitution reduced lightness (L*) from 74.2 to 60.5 and increased HMF concentrations from 0 to 2.4 µmol/g. However, whole-grain matrices exhibited non-linear browning dynamics, suggesting that parameters like pH and water activity modulate reaction pathways and pigment formation. Sensory evaluation revealed that substitutions up to 25% maintained visual acceptance in wheat flour-based cookies (mean score ≥ 6.0 on a 9-point hedonic scale), while higher proportions (≥ 50%) and whole-grain spelt formulations led to ambiguous consumer preferences. These findings underscore the need for matrix-specific formulation strategies when using allulose in grain-based baked products.