Cookies formulated from fresh okara using starch, soy flour and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose have high quality and nutritional value

- Fiber-enhanced cookies were developed using fresh okara.
- Texture improvers starch, soy flour and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) were evaluated.
- Okara cookie dough containing HPMC was the most elastic dough with no cutting.
- Okara cookies containing soy flour and HPMC had the lowest water activity.
- Incorporating fresh okara into cookies may contribute to a more nutritious product.

Okara is a nutritious byproduct of tofu manufacturing. To develop okara cookie using fresh okara, cookies were baked using only okara (O) or okara with additives: starch (OS), soy flour (OF) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (OH). OH dough had the highest water holding capacity value at 147.8%, followed by OF (88.6%), OS (77.6%) and O (46.5%) dough. OH dough was also the most elastic dough with no cutting when it was extended. The sensory panel scored the additive-added cookies 1.5 (OS) to 2.8 (OF and OH) times higher than O cookie with regard to hardness, crispiness and chewiness. During the 7-day storage, OF and OH cookies had a lower water activity (0.50-0.69) compared to the O cookie (0.82-0.87); however, OS cookie had a similar water activity (0.78-0.85) to the O cookie. The OF and OH cookies had higher hardness value than OS and O cookies during storage. Based on the results, the additives held the water content of fresh okara during the production of okara cookies; further, the additives allow the formulation of healthier snack foods.