Nutritional and Physical Characterization of Cookies Enriched with Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Pomace

Cookies are a popular snack worldwide because they are easy to eat, affordable, and have a long shelf life. This study looked at whether guava pomace, a leftover product from fruit processing, could be added to cookies to make them healthier. We replaced regular wheat flour with guava pomace at six different levels from zero up to fifty percent. The resulting cookies were tested for their nutritional makeup and physical features like diameter, thickness, and volume. Results showed that adding guava pomace noticeably improved the nutritional value, especially by increasing dietary fiber. The energy content of the cookies ranged from about 355 to 494 kilocalories, while protein, carbohydrate, fat, and moisture varied widely depending on the amount of pomace added. Mineral levels including potassium, sodium, and calcium also changed with higher pomace levels. Physically, cookies became wider and slightly thinner as more pomace was added, suggesting the fiber and water holding ability of guava influenced dough structure. Overall, cookies made with up to thirty percent guava pomace offered a good balance between better nutrition and acceptable physical quality. This study shows that guava pomace can be a useful ingredient for improving the nutritional profile of baked goods without causing major defects in their appearance or texture.