Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie

Monica Alvarez
Chelsea Earley
Kathryn Hughes
Ana Pelcastre Negrete
NUTR 405: Experimental Food Science Tech Lab
MW 4-6:40pm
San Diego State University

Product Description and Use

Often time customers walk into the grocery store looking for the perfect treat to satisfy
that sweet tooth craving, but after previewing the choices available and the ingredients these
treats contain, many consumers resort to choosing a processed, packaged, and less healthy
option. This is why we have taken the time to create the perfect, healthy, and scrumptious dessert
that will ensure your sweet tooth cravings and will not be a poor addition to your diet.
The Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie is a delicious alternative to the
typical processed and packaged cookie. It is made with organic ingredients and is the preferred
choice for a perfect healthy dessert. We wanted to create a treat that is free from refined sugars,
hydrogenated fats and processed grains. We have replaced the use of refined sugar with the
natural sweetness from a perfectly ripe banana, a small amount of organic honey and the ideal
serving of organic chocolate chips. When choosing the ingredients for our product we wanted to
remove the use of all butters and oils and replace them with the natural fat provided in avocados
and bananas. Therefore, the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie has an
increased use of healthy fats such as monounsaturated fat and a decreased use of less healthy fats
such as trans-fat. Due to the fact that our cookie is made with coconut flour it allows our product
to be completely grain-free and friendly to the gluten-free consumer.
Taking a more in-depth look at what makes these chocolate chip cookies so special, it is
obvious this is not a typical cookie. Avocado is the main ingredient of each cookie. In baking,
avocado can be used to substitute butter in cookie recipes which would replace the unhealthy
saturated fats with the healthier, monounsaturated fats (Hass Avocado Board 2014). This results
in a decrease of LDL cholesterol and an increase in HDL cholesterol. Avocados also contain high
amounts of other beneficial nutrients, including up to 4 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber in

one cup of avocado, less than 1 gram of sugar, and is a good source of potassium, vitamin K and
vitamin C (US Department of Agriculture 2014). Other substitutions in this product were
specifically chosen to maintain the nutritional value of the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip
Avocado Cookie.

Product Formulation and Ingredients

Over the course of several weeks many hours were spent formulating the ideal recipe for
the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie. The goal was to create a product that
had the same texture and structure as a conventional cookie, but we wanted to eliminated
unhealthy ingredients while still providing a pleasant taste. We wanted to reach new customers
with our modern and fresh twist on desserts.
This product was produced and refined in the Nutrition 405 kitchen located in room 416
on the 4th floor of the PFSA building at San Diego State University. Cookies were prepared
using an electric mixer, food processor, and conventional oven. They were then baked on two
oven racks at a time for 10 minutes each.

Trial One Recipe (4/14)

During the first day of cookie preparation the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado
Cookie came out better than expected. They retained the round shape of the cookie scoop and
had a lightly sweetened taste from the honey and banana. The cookies remained in the oven too
long on an ungreased cookie sheet which made them difficult to remove due to bottoms burning.
The avocado used was not completely ripe and left the final product with a chunky, undesirable
consistency and texture. After the cookies were baked, a nutrition analysis was conducted.
Saturated fat levels were somewhat high. Half of the cookies were left out at room temperature

and the other half of the cookies were left in the refrigerator for two days. After two days, both
sets of cookies had browned due to the oxidation of the avocado, giving them an undesirable
look.

Trial Two Recipe (4/16)

The second day of cookie preparation, the amount of vanilla extract was increased from 1
teaspoons to 2 teaspoons. This was done to increase the sweetness without adding extra
calories or sugar. Half of the cookies were slightly flattened when scooped onto a greased cookie
sheet and the other half were left in a ball shape. The cookies left in a ball shape took longer to
bake and were noticeably softer after cooling. The flattened cookies took less time to bake (about
10 minutes) and had a more firm and stable texture. Three labeled plastic bags were filled with
two-three cookies each and placed in the refrigerator, the freezer and at room temperature for
five days. After the five days, both the refrigerated and room temperatures sets of cookies had
browned due to the oxidation of the avocado but the cookies from the freezer remained
unoxidized retaining their green color.

Trial Three Recipe (4/16)

As a result of the browned cookies left at room temperature and in the refrigerator from the trials
one and two, Trial 3 Recipe involved the addition of teaspoon of ascorbic acid to prevent the
enzymatic browning of the avocado. Half of these cookies were slightly flattened on a greased
cookie sheet and the other half were left in the ball shape. As a result of the addition of acid, the
cookies were a brighter green color compared to the two previous trials and the flattened cookies
had a more firm, stable texture compared to the ball shape cookies. Three labeled plastic bags
were filled with two to three cookies each and placed in the refrigerator, the freezer and at room

temperature for five days. All cookies from Trial Two Recipe and Trial Three Recipe browned at
room temperature and in the refrigerator with the exception of the frozen batch which remained
green.

Trial Four Recipe (4/23)

Because of the enzymatic browning which occurred at room temperature and within the
refrigerator, we will market the product as a healthy frozen dessert. The Trial Four Recipe will
remain the same as the Trial Three Recipe with the exception of an increase in coconut flour
from to cup with the hope that the cookie will be less spongy. After baking, the cookies had
more structure, were less spongy, but were heavy in texture. All remaining cookies were placed
in the freezer for five days.

Trial Five Recipe (4/23)

To keep more structure of the cookie, but make it less heavy, the coconut flour was reduced from
cup to cup. The cookies were finished baking after 10 minutes in the oven. They were
lightly browned on the bottom, and showed an improvement compared to the previous trial
recipes. The completed cookies were not as spongy or heavy, but had a texture similar to a
common chocolate chip cookie. All cookies were placed in the freezer to be saved for further
testing.

Final Recipe (4/28)

Two more batches of Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie were baked using the
Trial Five Recipe as the final recipe and placed in the freezer for texture analysis and sensory
testing.

Table 1 - Product Formulation Tests for the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado
Cookie
Trial 1 Recipe (4/14)

Trial 2 Recipe (4/16)

Trial 3 Recipe (4/16)

Trial 4 Recipe (4/23)

1 avocado
1 banana
2 eggs
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
cup coconut flour
cup semi-sweet
chocolate chunks

1 avocado
1 banana
2 eggs
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract*
Pinch of salt
cup coconut flour
cup semi-sweet
chocolate chunks

1 avocado
1 banana
2 eggs
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
cup coconut flour
cup semi-sweet
chocolate chunks
tsp ascorbic acid*
Makes 27 cookies

1 avocado
1 banana
2 eggs
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
cup coconut flour*
cup semi-sweet
chocolate chunks
tsp ascorbic acid
Makes 28 cookies

Trial 5 Recipe (4/23)

Final Recipe (4/28)

1 avocado
1 banana
2 eggs
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
cup coconut flour*
cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
tsp ascorbic acid
Makes 29 cookies

1 avocado
1 banana
2 eggs
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
cup coconut flour
cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
tsp ascorbic acid
Makes 29 cookies

*Altered Ingredient

Product Formulation in the Prevention of Browning

One of the major issues that presented itself during the development of the Organic
Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie was the enzymatic browning that comes with using
ripe fruits, like avocado and banana. Before the recipe could be finalized for testing, this problem
had to be prevented. After the baking of the Trial One Recipe, cookies were left out at room

temperature and in the refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag. Both resulted in brown, mushy
cookies.
For the remainder of the trial recipes, cookies were placed at room temperature, in the
refrigerator and in the freezer in sealed plastic bags. It is recognized in a study conducted in
2013 that fruits with a high water content are more likely to experience browning at a faster rate.
The browning causes the fruit to look less appealing and the nutrient value to decrease. The
researchers used pineapple in their study and concluded that less browning occurs in fruit kept at
colder temperatures, preferably below 32F (Hong 2013). Out of the three settings, the freezer
resulted in less browning compared to the other two. This was a step in the right direction,
however, the goal was to create a cookie that would not brown at all. This would maintain its
appeal and desirability with consumers.
As a preventative measure in keeping the enzymatic reactions related to browning from
occurring, it was decided to add an acid to the recipe. Ascorbic acid in powdered form was the
ideal option. It would not alter the taste and would require a small amount. The smallest
measurement was teaspoon. After the addition of ascorbic acid, the remaining trial batches of
cookies resulted in a brighter color that kept their color through freezing.

Product Performance
Texture Analysis
Texture analysis was conducted using a spherical probe fitted with a 5-kg load cell on the
TAXT Plus Texture Analyzer (Texture Technologies Corp., Scarsdale, NY). Eight samples of the
Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie were warmed in the microwave for 15
seconds and left at room temperature for 20 minutes before testing. Force in grams was recorded
using the Exponent Software (see Table 2). All samples showed a similar amount of force

required for the probe to break through the cookie, ranging from 139.3g to 232.9g. The mean
resulted in 189.4g and a standard deviation of 32.73. Possible errors may have resulted in the
probe pushing through a soft chocolate chip instead of the actual body of the cookie.
According to a study conducted by Wekwete and Navder from the City University of
New York, the oatmeal cookies they created, replacing 50% of the fat with avocado, were more
cake-like and compared to the control oatmeal cookies, they were softer and less stiff(Wekwete
2008). Sensory evaluations signified that testers found the avocado cookies more smooth and
rounded with less surface cracking. Surface cracking was noted to be a significant characteristic
consumers look for in cookies(Wekwete 2008). However, they concluded after their analysis that
replacing the fats of baked goods with avocado could create a perfectly acceptable product with a
healthier nutrient content. Texture-wise our Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie
also showed a softer, less stiff texture with a soft, rounded appearance compared to competitors.
The soft, chewy texture of the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie will
appeal mostly to consumers who prefer a softer, more moist cookie on top of the many health
benefits. However, the lower range of force(g) required to puncture the cookies may be due to
the higher moisture content. This high moisture may present packaging concerns, specifically
microbial stability and enzymatic browning.

Table 2 - Texture Analysis Using Spherical Probe Data for the Organic Gluten-free
Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie
Trial #
Force (g)
1
209.0
2
185.7

3
4
5
6
7
8
Mean
Standard
Deviation

184.8
232.9
194.7
139.3
148.3
220.4
189.4
32.73

Market Potential
When looking on the shelves of the gluten-free cookie aisle, there are plenty of options to
choose from. Most gluten-free cookies come in a variety of flavors and boast their great taste on
top of their non-gluten-containing ingredients. However, gluten-free products are known for their
lack of flavor, increased sugar and salt content, and rarely tasting like their flour-containing
counterparts.
By purchasing the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie the consumer is
not only buying a cookie that is gluten-free and organic, but they are also obtaining a product

that has a pleasant and healthy ingredient. Our cookie is low-calorie, low carb making it diabeticfriendly, and with the removal of the unhealthy fats the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip
Avocado Cookie has replaced these with the nutritional recommended healthy fats. Replacing
ingredients such as butter, oil, and sugar, with more health conscious options will provide
consumers with the sweet indulging taste of a cookie without the negative health implications.
The consumers who choose to follow a strict organic or gluten-free diet will find this product
satisfying and more tasteful than similar products.
Competitors products, shown in the Comparative Product Chart in Appendix B, were
located on different levels of shelves and were more or less noticeable depending on the location
of the product. Another selling point of these cookies depended on the packaging style, artwork,
and size. Some items were marked with a new item or gluten-free sign next to their price
tag. This made them more noticeable and caught the attention of the consumer over other brands.
Our Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie would be advertised in the frozen
dessert section as both gluten-free and organic.
The Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie would come in a large freezersafe bag and feature the use of simple, green packaging which will allow our product to stand out
among the rest. This bag will include 28 individually pre-baked cookies on a microwavable
friendly tray. This tray will be concealed within an environmentally friendly resealable plastic
package. Not only would our cookie be one of the few cookies advertised in the frozen desserts
section, but it would be one of the only cookies that is organic, gluten-free, and more healthful
compared to other cookie options, frozen or not.

Sensory/Consumer Tests

Twenty-two male and female participants ranging from ages 19 to 48 participated in a

sensory evaluation for the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie. Each
participant was given three samples, two avocado cookies and one competitor cookie, and a cup
of water. Everyone was instructed to mark their age and gender before completing a Hedonic
Ranking Test which was then followed by a paired comparison test upon instructions. We have
included a sample of the sensory evaluation sheet below in the appendices (see Appendix C).
Once all of the participants were finished sampling the cookies and completing their surveys, all
materials were collected. All raw data was place into an excel sheet (see Appendix D).

Hedonic Ranking Test

Participants ranked the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie on a scale
from 1-9; one being the least preferred and nine being the most preferred. According to Figure 1,
5% of the participants stated that they extremely disliked the cookie ranking it with a score of 1,
13.6% disked the cookie very much ranking it with a score of 2, 33.3% disliked the cookie
moderately ranking it with a score of 3, 13.6% slightly disliked the cookie ranking it with a score
of 4, 4.5% neither liked nor disliked the cookie ranking it with a score of 5, 13.6% slightly liked
the cookie ranking it with a score of 6, 13.6% liked the cookie moderately ranking it with a score
of 7, 4.5% liked the cookie very much ranking it with a score of 8 and 0% extremely liked the
cookie ranking it with a score of 9.

Paired

Comparison Test

For the paired comparison test, a Tates Bake Shop Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie
(see Appendix B) was marked H7TG and one Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie was
marked Z9EC. Participant were asked to choose which cookie they preferred. According to
Figure 3, 86.36% of the participants said they preferred H7TG over Z9EC. Only 13.6% of the
participants said they preferred the Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie.

The sensory evaluations resulted in dissatisfaction with both the texture and the color of
the cookie. Many participants found that the texture was too mushy or weird and they were
turned off by the green color (Appendix D). From these evaluations, it was determined that the
texture and color should be most improved with future recipe testing.

Shelf Life Estimate

Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie has a higher water content due to
the avocado and banana which are the main components of the recipe. Avocado and banana are
both considered perishable food items and have a high risk of browning when left out at room
temperature. Therefore, the cookies must be frozen in order to maintain texture and color, even
with the addition of ascorbic acid. A frozen product leads to a longer shelf life in comparison to
regular brands of cookies that sit on the grocery shelves. While the shelf life of processed

cookies may reach up to a year, the quality may decline. The Organic Gluten-free Chocolate
Chip Avocado Cookie, when frozen, can also last up to a year and maintain all of its fresh
qualities. A study done by Felicidad Ronda on the comparison of freezing gluten-free breads at
-14 degree C and -28 degree C for 7 days showed that a considerable difference was noted. The
gluten-free bread stored at -28 degree provided a similar quality of fresh bread whereas the
gluten-free bread stored at -14 degree C showed depletion in quality (Ronda 2011). Therefore the
suggested storage temperature for the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie is
between -14 degree C and -28 degree C. the shelf life of processed cookies may reach up to a
year, the quality may decline. The Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie, when
frozen, can also last up to a year and maintain all of its fresh qualities. Once a cookie has been
removed, thawed and/or heat up in the microwave, it should be consumed within a few hours.

Regulatory Stipulations
The Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie is an organic and gluten-free
product. The U.S. Government criteria indicated that a product labeled organic must have 95% of
the finished product ingredients meeting the organic criteria. These products qualify for the
USDA Organic label. The USDA oversees all organic products and their duties include
inspecting and facilitating where food is grown, determining the standards and labeling of
products (Brown 2011), Also, products claiming to be gluten-free must abide by the FDA
labeling regulation. These regulation state that food advertising themselves as gluten free must
contain < 20 ppm gluten. They also must not contain wheat, rye, barley or a combination of these
grains (Brown 2011). The Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie satisfies both of
these government regulations.

Product Cost Evaluation

The mark-up method was used to determine the selling price of the Organic Gluten-free
Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie. Each individual cookie has an AP cost of $0.33 per cookie.
Using the industry standard of 40% mark up as the pricing factor for the Organic Gluten-free
Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie the result concluded that each cookie cost $0.46 each.
Therefore it was determined that each cookie will retail on average $0.50 each after rounding up
to the nearest whole number. Therefor one package of Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip
Avocado Cookies containing 28 single serving will retail for $14.00 each. The recommended
serving size for the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie is two cookies per
serving. At $14.00 per package this indicates that each serving will cost consumers about $1.00.
Providing the convenience of a cost effective health dessert is a great way to attract consumers.
Table 3. Ingredient Cost Data
Item

Brand

Purchas Size

Organic Avocado
Organic Banana
Organic Eggs

Hass
Dole
Chino Valley
Ranch
Wholesome
Sweeteners
Simply
Organic
Motron
Bobs Red
Mill
Sunspire

Organic Honey
Organic Vanilla
extract
Salt
Organic Coconut
flour
Organic Semisweet chocolate
chunks
Ascorbic acid

Nutribiotic

TOTAL
Price Per
Cookie

Package Suggestions

Serving Size

each
each
1 dozen

Purchase Price
($)
1.89
1.09
2.89

1 each
1 each
2 each

Cost per
serving ($)
1.89
1.09
0.48

16oz (22 tbs)

9.29

2 tbs

.84

2oz (12.5 tbs)

5.29

2 tbs

1.05

26oz
16 oz

3.49
7.59

1/8 tsp
1/3 cup (2.66oz)

.003
1.26

9oz (34 tbs)

5.99

cup (8 tbs)

2.81

8oz

10.99

1/8 tsp
(0.002oz)

.003
9.42
0.33

The packaging material and size will take into account that the Organic Gluten-free
Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie are both small in size and require being frozen. Looking at the
competition, packaging material and sizes range from single servings to up to eight servings.
Nanas No-Wheat Cookies come in a 3.5 ounce clear plastic bag which contained one large
cookie. Tates Bake Shop Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies come in a 7 ounce colored plastic
bag, with the cookies resting in two separate plastic trays, each wrapped in plastic. The entire bag
contained approximately 14 cookies. Another frozen cookie competitor, Nestle Toll House
Frozen Cookie Dough cookies come in a 30oz plastic bag containing a cardboard tray and cookie
dough. This tray allows the cookies to be precut into the appropriate individual size and ready to
bake. However, the cookie dough would require the extra step of baking the dough before
consumption when the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie does not.
Therefore, it was concluded that the Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie would
sell best in similar packaging as the Nestle Toll House Frozen Cookie Dough. The Avocado
Chocolate Chip Cookies will be evenly cut and distributed onto a microwaveable friendly try and
concealed within a resealable plastic bag for convenience. This will allow users to microwave the
entire tray if wanted or have the option to remove only a few cookie to microwave them
individually.
Nutrition Label
Nutrient Analysis
Nutrient analysis was completed using the USDA nutrition database software on
CalorieCount.com. The nutrition facts label featured in Appendix F breaks down the nutrient
value of one Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie. The calorie count is low
compared to other cookies on the market at only 30 calories per cookie. One recommended

serving of two cookies would be less than 100 calories per serving. This proves that the Organic
Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie would be a great way to curve a sweet tooth
craving without adding an abundant amount of calories, whether the consumer is following a diet
or not. With a total fat content of 1.8 grams and 16 total calories coming from fat, the cookies
provide a good source of healthy, cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats. These cookies are
also diabetic-friendly with only 3.1 grams of carbohydrates: 2 grams of sugar and 0.6 grams of
dietary fiber. As far as vitamins go, the addition of avocado, banana and ascorbic acid to the
cookies increases the amount of vitamin C to 30% in each cookie. Very few cookies on grocery
shelves today can boast containing vitamins without the use of preservatives and chemicals.
The serving size of two cookies was decided based on the nutrient value of each
individual cookie and the final recipe that was developed through testing (Appendix A) which
resulted in 27 to 29 cookies per batch. At two cookies per serving, each package of Organic
Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookies will include 28 cookies.

References

1. Hass Avocado Board. Baking With Avocados. 2014. Available at:

http://www.avocadocentral.com/avocado-recipes/baking-with-avocados. Accessed April 29,
2014.
2. US Department of Agriculture. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office; December 2011. Available at:
http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/. Accessed April 29, 2014.
3. Hong K, Xu H, Wang J, Zhang L, Hu H, Jia Z, Gu H, He Q, Gong D. Quality changes and
internal browning developments of summer pineapple fruit during storage at different
temperatures. Scientia Horticulturae. 2013;151: 68-74.
4. Wekwete B, Navder KP. Effects of Avocado Fruit Puree and Oatrim as Fat Replacers on the
Physical, Textural and Sensory Properties of Oatmeal Cookies. Journal of Food Quality. 2008;
31(2): 131-141.
5. Ronda F.Staling of Fresh and Frozen Gluten-free Bread. Journal of cereal science. 2011;
53(3):340-346.
6. Calorie Count Nutrition Facts Analysis [Internet]. CalorieCount.com; c2014 [Accessed on
2014 May 5]. Available from: http://www.caloriecount.com

Appendix A: Final Recipe and Ingredient List

Organic Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookie
Oven Temp: 350F

Baking Time: 10 minutes

Makes about 24 to 29 cookies

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Ingredients
1 ripe organic California avocado, peeled and pit removed
1 ripe organic banana, peeled and chopped
2 organic eggs
2 tbsp organic honey
2 tsp organic pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
tsp ascorbic acid powder
cup organic coconut flour
cup organic semi-sweet chocolate chunks
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or greased aluminum foil.
Using a food processor or electric mixer, blend avocado and banana until smooth.
Add eggs, honey, vanilla, salt and ascorbic acid; stir until smooth.
Stir in coconut flour.
Add chocolate pieces and stir to distribute.
Using a tablespoons, spoon batter onto prepared cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Lightly flatten
with the back of a spoon.
Bake approximately 10 minutes, or until cookies are set and lightly browned on the bottoms.
Cool cookies 5 minutes before removing from sheets and transferring with a spatula to a serving
tray.

Appendix B: Comparative Product Chart

Competitors
Brand
Name/Price

Product
Form

Packaging
and Sizes

Flavors or
Varieties

Main
Ingredient

Shelf
Position

In-Store
Location

Tates Bake
Shop Cookies

Processed

7 oz bag
/$5.89

Oat Raisin,
Chocolate Chip,

Butter

Middle
shelf

Snack aisle

Ginger
Nanas No
Wheat Cookies

Processed

3.5 oz bag
/$1.99

Oat Raisin,
Chocolate Chip,
Ginger

Organic oat
flour

Top shelf

Snack aisle

Andean Quinoa
Dream Cookies

Processed

7 oz bag
/$6.19

Cocoa-Orange,
Coconut

Organic royal
quinoa flour

Top shelf

Snack aisle

Cybeles
Chocolate Chip
Cookies

Processed

6 oz box
/$5.39

Oatmeal Raisin,
Chocolate Chip

Gluten-free
flour (brown
rice, tapioca
flour, potato
starch)

Middle
shelf

Snack aisle

Organic
Gluten-free
Chocolate
Chip Avocado
Cookie

Fresh
Frozen

28
cookies/
$14.00

Dark Chocolate
Chip

Coconut flour,
Banana,
Avocado

Top/
middle
shelf

Frozen
Dessert in
Freezer
Section

Appendix C: Sensory Testing Questionnaire

Date:
Gender: Male or Female
Age:

Sensory Evaluation Survey

Please take a sip of water to clear the palate and rinse your mouth before starting. Collect the
sample labeled B3LU. Taste the sample and mark on the scale below how much you prefer the
cookie sample.

Dislike
Extremely

Dislike
Very
Much

Dislike
Moderately

Dislike
Slightly

Neither
Like
nor
Dislike

Like
Slightly

Like
Moderately

Like
Very
Much

Like
Extremely

Please take a sip of water to clear the palate and rinse your mouth before starting. Collect the two
(2) cookie samples labeled H7TG and Z9EC. First taste sample H7TG. Take a sip of water to
rinse your mouth and taste sample Z9EC. Below please indicate which sample you prefer by
circling the sample name.

H7TG

Z9EC

Additional Comments:

Thank you for participating!

Appendix D: Sensory Evaluation Raw Data

Age

Gender
Female

Sample B3LU
(Hedonic Scale)
1

H7TG (Paired
Comparison)
1

Z9EC (Paired
Comparison)
0

19
48

Female

19

Female

22
24

Female
Female

2
3

1
1

0
0

20

Female

25

Female

22

Female

Comments
Z9EC put off by the green
color
Z9EC terrible look and non
enjoyable mouth feel
Z9EC weird

20

Female

28

Female

21

Female

27
20
19

Female
Female
Female

4
4
4

1
1
1

0
0
0

19

Female

24

Male

20

Female

20
20
22
27

Female
Female
Female
Female

6
7
7
7

1
0
1
0

0
1
0
1

30

Female

Appendix E: Labeling Standards

Z9EC too mushy, felt un

cooked
n/a
Did not like flavor of Z9EC

Z9EC Too mushy

Z9EC weird texture
Z9EC weird after taste
Small bitter taste, liked the
chocolate and moist texture

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004446

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm363474.htm

Appendix F: Nutrition Facts Label

(Per Cookie)

Ingredients: Organic Avocado, Organic 65% Cacao Chocolate Chips, Organic Coconut Flour,
Organic Banana, Organic Eggs, Organic Raw Honey, Organic Vanilla Extract, Ascorbic Acid