Formulation and Optimization of New Spreads Based on Olive Oil and Honey: A Response Surface Methodology Box-Benken Design

Abstract

Bread spread is one of the fundamental foods in human diets. Generally, cheese spread, butter, chocolate spread, and margarine are the most consumed. In the last decade, a new concept alimentary has been integrated, it was low fat spread or functional spread. This work is an attempt to formulate and optimize new low-fat spreads based on olive oil and honey using a response surface methodology box-benken design. To optimize its stability and its textural properties under the effects of three factors, beeswax content, stirring time, and stirring speed. Results revealed that the best mixture was the formulation that contained 1% beeswax, 79% honey, and 20% olive oil, formulated under 6.39 min of time stirring at 15,428 rpm speed. The beeswax was the major factor showing the highest effect on all the properties of spreads.