# Physicochemical and Sensory Analysis of Apple Cream Fillings for Use in the Pastry Industry
## 3 Results & Discussion  
Moisture content differences among AP1, AP2, and PD are shown in Figure 1a. Apple cubes naturally contain water and, during the hydration phase of the cream filling preparation, absorb and retain moisture, contributing to a high overall water content in AP1 and AP2. This aligns with the findings of [PERSON] et al. [19], who reported that fruit inclusions in processed apple products affect moisture retention and rheological properties due to their intrinsic water-holding capacity. Dextrose incorporated in samples (AP1 3.45%, AP2 3.00% and PD 6.00% _w/w_), a simple sugar derived from corn, is widely used in food products as a sweetener and texture modifier. Dextrose water content varies from less than 0.5 to 1.0% for anhydrous to 7.0 up to 9.5% for monohydrated dextrose [22]. PD exhibits a more concentrated, less hydrated matrix, consistent with the findings of [PERSON] [4], which highlighted that apple-derived ingredients, including purees and fruit pieces, contribute to moisture retention by altering the water-binding properties of the formulation. The moisture content of the bark of cinnamon in powder form is equal to 5.1% [23], of xanthan gum is equal to 10.6% [24], of potato starch varies from 12.5 to 14.3% according to the variety [25], and of raw sugar varies from 0.2 to 0.8% [26]. Malic acid presents a low hygroscopic character showing a low equilibrium water content of 7.0% even in high water activity values (near 1.0) and is used to foods where one desires to keep the crispness and crunchiness [11]. The raw materials such as PDWW (powder without water) and apple cubes are already dried, having small amounts of moisture. The ash content (Figure 1b) revealed higher values in AP2 (0.186%) compared to AP1 (0.082%) and PD (0.028%), aligning with AP2's inclusion of apple cubes. The higher ash content in AP2 and AP1 compared to PD likely stems from natural minerals in apple tissue (48 and 38% _w/w_ for AP1 and AP2, respectively), potato starch (16.19, 17.50 and 28.00% for AP1, AP2 and PD, respectively) and cinnamon (0.1 and 0.5% _w/w_ for AP2 and PD). PD has the lowest ash content, as it primarily consists of powdered ingredients with minimal mineral content [4]. According to literature, the ash percentage of raw sugar varies from 0.13 to 0.73% [26], of xanthan gum is equal to 7.60% [24], and of cinnamon is equal to 2.4% [23]. Ash components consist mainly of calcium and potassium in cinnamon [27], phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and potassium in potato starch [28; 29] and potassium and sodium in dried apples [30]. The comparison between this study's apple cream filling samples and those from Dana & Sonia, 2024, study [4] highlighted notable differences in composition, likely stemming from the use of dried food powders and dried apples versus fresh ingredients in theirs. Ash content, which reflects mineral content, is significantly lower in this study's samples (0.028-0.186%) compared to theirs (1.05-2.18%), suggesting a reduced mineral concentration, likely due to the processing of dried ingredients. Moisture content in this study's samples (69.95-72.71%) is also much lower than theirs (77.09-86.73%), as expected with the inclusion of dried components, indicating a longer shelf life and reduced microbial activity in the present products. The volatile content remained consistent across the formulations, supporting their stability and uniformity. The high volatile content across all samples (99.8-99.9%) indicates that most of the material is of organic origin. The slight variations are likely due to differences in the composition of the apple cubes and powdered ingredients such as potato starch, xanthan gum and cinnamon. PD, with the highest volatile content (99.9%), has fewer inorganic components due to the absence of apple cubes. The raw material of the study presents low values of ash content and high amounts of volatiles. The pH values of AP1 and AP2 do not present differences according to the statistical analysis (Figure 2a).