Peanut skins-fortified peanut butters: Effects on consumer acceptability and quality characteristics

•Peanut skins are a viable high phenolics functional ingredient in peanut butter.•Peanut skin heat treatment and levels of use impact resultant peanut butter quality.•Consumers find peanut skin fortified peanut butter acceptable.•Acceptable peanut skin fortified peanut butters meet US FDA standard of identity.•Acceptable high phenolics peanut butters will allow product line diversification.

Peanut skins (PS), high phenolics by-products from peanut processing, are potential functional ingredients. Effects of fortification with ground PS (3 types: dry-blanched, light- and medium-roasted) on peanut butter (PB) quality characteristics and consumer acceptability were evaluated. PS were added in concentrations of 0 (control), 2.5 and 5.0 g PS/100 g PB. Data were analyzed with Mixed Model ANOVA. Significant effects (P < 0.05) on product appearance and physical characteristics depended on level of incorporation and type of skins used; the greatest impact on objective appearance (L*, a*, b* color and particulate presence) and instrumental physical properties (spreadability and texture profile analysis parameters) occurred with incorporation of 5.0 g medium roasted PS/100 g PB. Consumer sensory panelists (P < 0.05) noted an increase in stiffness with incorporation of roasted PS at both levels, and less acceptable spreadability with incorporation of 5.0 g light or medium-roasted PS/100 g PB when compared to the control. Panelists also found PS addition affected acceptability of appearance more than flavor, texture or overall acceptability. With incorporation of 2.5 g PS/100 g PB, PS addition produced PBs that equaled the control in overall acceptability, regardless of heat treatment. At the 5.0 g PS/100 g PB incorporation level, PBs containing medium-roasted PS were less acceptable (P < 0.05) than all other formulations.