Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Baekseolgi Prepared with Different Combinations of Allulose and Trehalose

Eunhye Park^1,*, Jinju Lee²

¹Department of Foodservice and Culinary Sciene, Pai Chai University
²Pulmuone Institute of Technology, Pulmuone Co., Ltd.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of various allulose (AL)-trehalose blend ratios as sucrose replacers on the quality characteristics of Baekseolgi. Control (sucrose), single-sweetener, and blend treatments (AL0-AL100) were prepared and stored at 4oC for 0, 1, 3, and 8 days. Hardness, moisture content, color, and sensory attributes were analyzed. Hardness increased during storage in all the groups. However, the AL40-AL60 blends showed slower increases and better maintenance of their initial softness. Moisture retention tended to improve with higher allulose ratios, showing a slower decrease during storage. Sensory evaluation revealed significant differences in color, aftertaste, and overall acceptability (p< .05). The AL40-AL60 blends maintained moistness, softness, and sweetness comparable to the sucrose control, while achieving balanced acceptability. However, both allulose and trehalose have lower sweetness compared to sucrose, requiring larger quantities to achieve equivalent sweetness levels, which may raise production costs. Therefore, future studies should explore blends of allulose with higher-intensity sweeteners to reduce total sweetener usage and production costs, while retaining texture stability and flavor balance. This study provides practical formulation guidelines for sugar reduction and shelf-life improvement of traditional rice cakes, with potential for broader industrial applications.