Storage Stability And Aging Characteristics Of Cistanche Deserticola-Fortified Cakes: Microbiological, Physicochemical, And Structural Analysis
Jul 16, 2025
2.6 Microbiological Quality Evaluation of Cake
As shown in Table 6, the microbiological indicators of the Cistanche deserticola cake met all national food safety standards. Specifically, Salmonella was not detected, indicating effective control of pathogenic contamination during production. The total plate count was below 460 CFU/g, coliform count was less than 20 CFU/g, and Staphylococcus aureus was under 460 CFU/g. These results confirm that the product is microbiologically safe and suitable for consumption.
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2.7 Effect of Storage Temperature and Duration on Cake Specific Volume
Figure 4 illustrates the changes in specific volume of Cistanche and control cakes during 7 days of storage at 4 °C and 25 °C. At both temperatures, the Cistanche cake exhibited a slower decline in specific volume compared to the control.
This indicates superior structural stability and better moisture retention in the Cistanche cake during storage. The fiber components in Cistanche deserticola likely contributed to this effect by retaining internal moisture and slowing down staling, thereby preserving the cake's softness and volume over time [25]. These findings support the SEM results showing a denser internal structure.
Fig.5 Effect of adding C. deserticola powder on texture changes of cake at the different temperature during storage
2.8 Changes in Texture Properties During Storage
As shown in Figure 5, both types of cakes exhibited increased hardness and chewiness after 7 days of storage at 25 °C and 4 °C. For the Cistanche cake:
Hardness increased from 65.31 g to 124.58 g
Chewiness increased from 210.73 mJ to 301.06 mJ
In contrast, the control cake's:
Hardness rose from 64.12 g to 94.76 g
Chewiness increased from 187.51 mJ to 281.04 mJ
Both increases were statistically significant (P < 0.05), and the Cistanche cake showed higher overall values. These changes were within acceptable sensory limits.
The rise in hardness is attributed to moisture loss and protein network instability. The addition of Cistanche powder likely enhanced moisture retention and reinforced the cake's internal structure, leading to increased hardness, chewiness, and cohesiveness [26].
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2.9 Thermodynamic Properties After 7 Days of Storage
DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) was used to investigate thermal properties such as onset temperature (T₀), peak temperature (T), and end temperature (Tₐ), which reflect starch crystallinity and gelatinization behavior [27].
After 7 days of storage at 4 °C, the Cistanche cake showed lower enthalpy values than the control, suggesting that Cistanche powder inhibited starch retrogradation [28]. According to Table 7:
Cistanche cake: T₀ = 70.39 °C, T = 112.2 °C
Control cake: T₀ = 68.69 °C, T = 109.79 °C
These results indicate that Cistanche cake maintained higher thermal stability during storage.
The appearance of endothermic peaks in DSC curves reflects starch aging. The Cistanche cake exhibited flatter peaks (see Figure 6), suggesting lower retrogradation, possibly due to natural components such as fiber and polysaccharides, which enhance moisture retention and delay starch recrystallization [30].
Table 7 Effect of adding C. deserticola powder on the thermodynamic properties of cake during storage
| Sample Type | T₀ (°C) | T (°C) | Tₐ (°C) | ΔH (J/g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control Cake | 68.69 | 109.79 | 143.76 | 101.00 |
| Cistanche Cake | 70.39 | 112.20 | 146.12 | 97.56 |
Note: T₀ = onset temperature, T = peak temperature, Tₐ = end temperature, ΔH = enthalpy change.
2.10 X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis After 7 Days of Storage
XRD analysis was used to assess crystalline structures in cake starch, which relate to product staling [31]. The addition of Cistanche powder increased dough viscosity and reduced starch crystallinity.
In Figure 7, the control cake showed distinct diffraction peaks at 15.62°, 20.72°, and 25.4°, indicating partial crystallization. In contrast, the Cistanche cake showed lower diffraction intensity, signifying delayed crystallization and improved storage stability [32].
2.11 FT-IR Analysis After 7 Days of Storage
FT-IR spectroscopy was used to evaluate starch retrogradation in both cake samples after 7 days of storage. As shown in Figure 8, 7 characteristic absorption peaks were observed in the 1450–850 cm⁻¹ region (e.g., at 935, 985, 1345, 1577, 1099, 1175, and 1473 cm⁻¹).
The Cistanche cake exhibited smaller increases in peak intensity, indicating lower starch retrogradation. These findings are consistent with the XRD results, reinforcing the conclusion that Cistanche powder helps delay aging and maintain product quality [33].
Fig.6 Effect of adding C. deserticola powder on the thermodynamic properties of cake during storage
3. Conclusion
This study investigated the effects of Cistanche deserticola powder supplementation on cake quality and storage stability. Various parameters were analyzed, including specific gravity, texture profile, nutritional composition, and antioxidant activity. Additionally, DSC, XRD, and FT-IR analyses were conducted to evaluate starch retrogradation, thermal behavior, and crystalline structure during storage.
Key findings include:
Cistanche cake exhibited similar hardness (66.13 ± 1.8 g) but 7.75% higher chewiness and 0.58% higher cohesiveness than the control.
Batter specific gravity was slightly higher (0.472 g/cm³), while the DPPH radical scavenging rate reached 43.52%, 2.69 times that of the control.
After 7 days at 4 °C, both cakes showed increased hardness and chewiness (P < 0.05), with Cistanche cake maintaining higher structural integrity.
The enthalpy, FT-IR peak ratios, and XRD crystallinity of Cistanche cakes were all lower than the control, indicating greater anti-staling capacity.
In conclusion, the incorporation of Cistanche deserticola powder improved the overall quality, functional properties, and storage stability of sponge cake, demonstrating its potential for use in functional bakery products.
Fig.7 Effect of adding Cistanche deserticola powder on the X-ray of cake during storage
