Development of Nutri Bar Enriched with Date Seed Powder and Psyllium Husk

Abstract

The present study aimed to develop and evaluate a functional nutribar enriched with date seed powder and psyllium husk, focusing on enhancing dietary fiber content and promoting overall health benefits. Functional snack products have gained increasing attention due to their role in preventing lifestyle- related disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. In this context, the utilization of agro-industrial by-products like date seeds offers a sustainable and nutritionally valuable approach to product development. Date seed powder is recognized as a rich source of insoluble dietary fiber and phenolic compounds, contributing to antioxidant activity and improved gut health. Psyllium husk, derived from Plantago ovata, is a well-established soluble fiber known for its gel-forming ability and its role in regulating blood glucose levels, cholesterol reduction, and digestive health improvement (Sanlier & Ozler, 2026; Halász et al., 2024). The incorporation of psyllium into food systems has also been reported to enhance functional properties and act as a natural binding agent in fiber-enriched food products. The nutribar formulation consisted of foxtail millet, chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and almonds, providing a balanced composition of macronutrients, essential fatty acids, and micronutrients. Peanut butter and date syrup were used as natural binders to improve cohesiveness and palatability without the addition of refined sugars. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize ingredient proportions and to study their effect on physicochemical and sensory characteristics. Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) was conducted to evaluate hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness of the developed nutribar. Previous studies have indicated that incorporation of high-fiber ingredients significantly influences texture due to the disruption of matrix structure and water-binding properties (Sucharitha et al., 2022). The developed nutribar showed improved nutritional quality, particularly in dietary fiber content, compared to conventional snack bars. The findings suggest that date seed powder and psyllium husk can be effectively utilized in functional food development to produce value-added, health-promoting snack products. Further shelf-life studies are required to evaluate product stability under storage conditions.