Valorisation of lime by-products in gluten-free vegan pancakes: Functional, sensory, and bioaccessibility assessment

• Lime by-products enriched gluten-free pancakes with phenolic compounds • Fortification raised fibre and phenolic content while lowering sugars • About 50% of phenolics remained bioaccessible after digestion • Pancakes with 2.5–5% substitution showed best sensory acceptability Lime by-products, rich in flavanones and pectins, were incorporated (2.5–10%, w/w) into gluten-free vegan pancakes as a sustainable functional ingredient. The physicochemical, nutritional, antioxidant, and phenolic profiles of fortified products were evaluated, together with the bioaccessibility of individual phenolic compounds after simulated digestion. Lime flour addition improved batter consistency and increased total dietary fibre (from 1.5 to 2.4 g/100 g) and total phenolic content (from 0.27 to 0.68 mg GAE/g), while reducing total sugars by 60%. Hesperidin and eriocitrin were the main phenolics transferred to the pancakes and remained partially bioaccessible (40–60%). Approximately 90% of the total phenolic content was retained after digestion, indicating good stability within the food matrix, while 50% remained bioaccessible. Fortification up to 5% preserved desirable texture (hardness < 7 N) and sensory acceptance. These findings highlight lime by-product flour as a promising ingredient for the development of fibre-rich, low-sugar functional bakery products within a circular economy framework.