Effect of Dragon Fruit Peel Powder on the Quality of Cookie Products

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition, physical properties, and consumer acceptance of cookies supplemented with dragon fruit peel powder, with the objective of promoting the utilization of agricultural by-products from food processing. Consumer acceptance was evaluated using 40 untrained panelists and a 9-point hedonic scale, assessing appearance, color, aroma, taste, texture, and overall acceptability. The results indicated that cookies supplemented with 20% dragon fruit peel powder received the highest overall acceptability score (8.38), corresponding to a high level of liking, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) compared to other formulations. The chemical composition of the selected formulation consisted of 5.51% protein, 4.86% moisture, 1.68% ash, 25.90% fat, 62.04% carbohydrates, and 1.36 g of dietary fiber. Increasing the level of dragon fruit peel powder (10–20%) resulted in a significant decrease in lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values, while redness (a*) increased (p < 0.05), indicating a shift toward darker and more reddish tones. In addition, microbiological analysis, including total plate count, yeast, and mold, complied with the Thai Community Product Standard for cookies (No. 118/2555). These findings demonstrate that the incorporation of dragon fruit peel powder can enhance the nutritional value and consumer acceptability of cookie products, while also providing a sustainable approach for utilizing agricultural waste in food product development.