European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety

The increasing consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor snack foods among children in developing countries has raised significant public health concerns, contributing to the rising prevalence of the triple burden of malnutrition. This issue is particularly evident among school-age children, where inadequate nutrient intake from commonly consumed snacks exacerbates micronutrient deficiencies and related health risks. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of protein fortification on the nutrient composition and organoleptic characteristics of coconut cakes (snacks) commonly consumed in Côte d’Ivoire. Thus, the simplex lattice design coupled with sensory tests and optimisation using the Solver function led to an optimised formulation based on mixed flours. Traditional cakes were produced as controls. The coconut cakes produced were subjected to physical, chemical and sensory analyses. The results showed an optimised formulation, namely: 77% wheat flour + 15% soya powder + 4% sesame seeds + 4% spirulina powder. The enriched coconut cakes have a low carbohydrate content (46.93 g/100 g) compared to that of the control (50.08 g/100 g). However, the protein, fat, fibre and ash contents are higher than those of the control. The sensory evaluation did not reveal any significant differences in the panellists’ ratings. However, certain attributes showed significant differences. Finally, the coconut cakes are rich in nutrients essential for the body’s development.