DEVELOPMENT AND BIOFUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF FLAXSEED BASED COOKIES WITH IN VIVO VALIDATION IN A HYPERLIPIDEMIC MICE MODEL

Flax is a plant that has been used as a food source for thousands of years and is high in α-linolenic acid, lignans, and soluble fiber, which have shown potential cardiovascular-protective effects. However, its systemic addition to cereals in the form of functional food, with proven in vivo results, is scarce. This work aimed to develop and evaluate flaxseed-incorporated cookies for nutritional up gradation, antioxidative potential, as well as sensory acceptability and biological efficacy against a mouse-based hyperlipidemic model. Six formulas with 5–30% flaxseed flour mixed with chickpea, oat, and rice flours were produced and analyzed according to AOAC (2006) methods. Biological activities were measured using the Folin– Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride, DPPH, and FRAP methods. For in vivo assessment, Triton WR-1339– induced hyperlipidemic mice (n = 24) were used, and their lipid profiles, hepatic markers, and histopathological changes were analyzed. The addition of flaxseed led to a significant (p < 0.001) increase in protein (16.84 ± 0.24%) and crude fiber (3.41 ± 0.18%) content, while boosting the total phenolics content (188.7 ± 4.3 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant potential (FRAP 312.4 ± 10.7 µmol Fe²⁺/g). In vivo, animals fed flaxseed cookies exhibited lower serum total cholesterol levels (−38%), triglyceride levels (−33%), and LDL levels (−42%), as well as higher HDL levels by 29% (p < 0.01). Liver enzyme levels recovered, and the hepatic architecture was restored, along with a reduction in aortic wall thickening as determined from histopathological measurements. These results suggest that flaxseed-enriched cookies may be a promising functional food with antioxidative and cardio protective efficacy and potentially could be used in the dietary treatment of dyslipidemias and risk profiles for cardiovascular diseases.