Evaluation of the Effect of Fat and Flour Substitutes on

the Appearance, Flavor, and Texture of Brownies

Katherine Kern
Fats Lab
NTR 402L

November 14, 2016

INTRODUCTION
Fats and oils are used in many food products and can function as tenderizers, emulsifiers,
flavoring agents, and cooking mediums (Walter & Beathard, 2015). They are also used in many
baked products (Walter & Beathard, 2015). Sometimes it may be desirable to use substitutions
for some or all of the fat in a baked product (Walter & Beathard, 2015). This may be necessary
for consumers who are following a low-fat diet. In addition, it may sometimes be necessary to
produce a gluten-free product for consumers with Celiac disease. In this case, a flour substitute
must be used that is gluten-free. However, using fat or flour substitutes may have effects on the
final baked product. It is important to evaluate what, if any, effects using fat or flour substitutes
have in order to produce a desirable final product.
During this experiment, the effect of using fat and flour substitutes on brownies was
evaluated. Control brownies were prepared using butter. Three batches of brownies were
prepared using fat substitutes: one with applesauce, one with prunes, and one with black beans
substituted for butter. In addition, one batch of gluten-free brownies was prepared using a flour
replacement: cornstarch was substituted for flour. Appearance, flavor, and textured were
evaluated for each brownie sample. The goal of the experiment was to produce an acceptable
final product in brownies using fat substitutes and a gluten-free brownie. It was expected that
various fat substitutes and flour substitute would all have some effect on the appearance, flavor,
or texture of the final product. The purpose of the experiment was to evaluate the effects of using
fat and flour substitutes on the appearance, flavor, and texture of brownies.
METHODS
The control brownies and brownies made with applesauce and prunes were prepared by
following the lab procedures in Unit 15, Part F of the Lab Manual for Browns Understanding

Food Principles and Preparation, 5th edition (Walter & Beathard, 2015). The following
modifications were made to the procedure: for the control brownies, in Variation 1 of the
procedure butter was substituted for margarine; for the brownies made with prunes, in Variation
3 of the procedure Sunsweet Lighter Bake Butter and Oil Replacement was substituted for baby
food prunes. The brownies prepared with applesauce were made by following Variation 2 of the
procedure (Walter & Beathard, 2015). The brownies made with black beans were prepared
according to the recipe in Appendix A for dark chocolate and black bean brownies, with coffee,
walnuts, and chocolate chips omitted. The gluten-free brownies were prepared according to the
recipe in Appendix B for gluten-free fudgy pecan brownies, with cinnamon, chocolate chips, and
toasted pecans omitted. After preparation, each brownie sample was evaluated for appearance,
flavor, and texture. The results were recorded in a table.
RESULTS
When compared to the control brownie, the brownies made with fat substitutes and flour
substitute all had some effect on the appearance, flavor, or texture of the final product. Compared
to the control brownies, the brownies prepared with black beans and prunes also had a dense,
fudgy texture. Notably, the brownies prepared with prunes had a noticeable prune flavor and the
brownies prepared with black beans had a noticeable black bean flavor. The gluten-free brownies
prepared using cornstarch substituted for flour had a unique, uneven brown appearance and
unique spongy texture. The observations of appearance, flavor, and texture for each brownie
sample are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. Results of the use of Fat or Flour Substitutes on the Appearance, Flavor, and Texture of
Brownies
Fat, Fat
Appearance
Flavor
Texture
Substitute, or
Flour Substitute
Butter
Medium brown,
Chocolate flavor,
Dense, fudgy
crumbly
sweet
Applesauce
Prunes

Darker brown,
crumbly
Dark brown, crumbly

Some chocolate
flavor, sweet
Chocolate flavor,
sweeter, noticeable
prune flavor

Cakey, slightly
dry
Dense, fudgy

Black beans

Dark brown, smooth

Chocolate flavor, less

sweet, noticeable
bean flavor

Dense, fudgy

Cornstarch
(gluten-free)

Uneven brown color,

Bland flavor, sweet
uneven surface texture

Spongy, moist

DISCUSSION
As illustrated in Table 1, the use of fat or flour substitutes had effects on the appearance,
flavor, and texture of the brownies, as was expected. Some of these effects may be considered
undesirable, such as the bean flavor imparted by the use of black beans as a fat substitute or the
prune flavor imparted by the use of prunes (Table 1). However, the use of prunes or black beans
produced brownies that most closely matched the texture of the control brownie (Table 1).
Despite the good texture, the affect on flavor must be considered before using these substitutes.
The use of applesauce as a fat substitute produced brownies with an acceptable appearance and
flavor that differed slightly from the control brownie, however the texture was noticeably not
fudge-like (Table 1). Despite the different texture, this brownie was deemed to be the most
similar to the control brownie overall due to the good flavor. The gluten-free brownie, which
used cornstarch as a flour substitute, had a significantly different appearance, flavor, and texture

compared to the control brownie. This was deemed to be the least acceptable brownie due to the
unappealing appearance, bland flavor, and unpleasant spongy texture.
The results of this experiment yield important considerations for preparing foods for
people on special diets. Companies mass produce food items they wish to sell to people on these
diets, and need to produce an acceptable product to market to them. When formulating glutenfree, fat-free, or low-fat products, it is important to evaluate the effects that fat and gluten
substitutes have on the final product. If there is an adverse effect on the appearance, flavor, or
texture, the product may not be accepted or purchased by consumers. In addition, it is important
for health care professionals to remember these effects when educating patients about diet
modifications. Acceptable substitutes must be recommended to patients or clients to help them be
compliant with their prescribed diet. Other substitutes may need to be studied to find fat and
gluten substitutes that more closely resemble the original product in appearance, flavor, and
texture.

Reference
Walter, J. M., & Beathard, K. (2015). Lab Manual for Browns Understanding Food Principles
and Preparation (5th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.