Formulation and Quality Assessment of Brownie Enriched with Black Grapes Raisin Pomace Powder

Black grape raisin pomace powder (BGRPP) is a by-product from fruit processing. It is rich in dietary fiber and phenolic antioxidants. This study added BGRPP to brownies to create a healthier bakery product and promote the sustainable use of fruit processing waste. We looked at how adding BGRPP affected the sensory, nutritional, physicochemical, antioxidant, and microbiological features of brownies. We made brownie recipes by replacing refined wheat flour with BGRPP at 5%, 10%, and 15% levels. We evaluated the products through sensory analysis, proximate composition, physicochemical measurements, Total flavonoid content, DPPH radical scavenging activity and total plate count. Among all formulations, the brownie containing 15% BGRPP (T3) achieved the highest sensory scores for appearance (8.20), taste (8.67), odor (8.37), and mouthfeel (8.67). Fortification with BGRPP significantly improved dietary fibre content (11.64%), antioxidant activity (45.37 mg/g AAE), and total flavonoid content (64.60 mg QE/100 g) compared with the control. The fortified brownie also exhibited a lower pH (5.9), higher total soluble solids (12.4 °Brix), and reduced microbial load (1.23 × 10⁴ CFU/g), indicating enhanced functional quality and microbiological stability. Overall, incorporation of BGRPP improved the nutritional and functional attributes of brownies without compromising sensory acceptability, with the 15% fortification level identified as the optimum formulation for the development of a value-added functional bakery product.