Nutritional Composition, Antioxidant Properties, and in vitro Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Effects of Functional Biscuits Fortified with Ficus exasperata and Sphenostylis stenocarpa

Background and Objective: Oxidative stress and postprandial hyperglycemia are major contributors to the development and progression of diabetes mellitus. Functional foods enriched with bioactive plant ingredients represent a promising dietary strategy for improving antioxidant status and regulating postprandial glucose levels. This study evaluated the nutritional composition, antioxidant properties, α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, and sensory acceptability of functional biscuits fortified with Sphenostylis stenocarpa and Ficus exasperata. Materials and Methods: Four biscuit formulations containing varying proportions of S. stenocarpa and fermented or unfermented F. exasperata were developed. The formulations were analyzed for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ABTS radical scavenging activity, Fe²⁺ chelating activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The two formulations containing 40 g F. exasperata (B-SS20-fFE40 and B-SS20-uFE40) were further evaluated for proximate composition and sensory attributes. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 8.1 by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test; data are presented as Mean±SEM (n = 3), with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: All formulations exhibited appreciable TPC, Fe²⁺ chelating activity, and ABTS radical scavenging capacity, with no significant differences (p>0.05) among the groups. However, B-SS20-fFE40 showed significantly higher TFC and FRAP than the other formulations. All extracts demonstrated moderate α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Proximate analysis revealed that B-SS20-fFE40 contained the highest crude protein (10.51±0.717%), while B-SS20-uFE40 had the highest crude fibre content (6.89±0.065%). Sensory evaluation indicated that B-SS20-uFE40 achieved the highest overall consumer acceptability score. Conclusion: Fortification of biscuits with S. stenocarpa and F. exasperata significantly improved their nutritional value and antioxidant potential while providing moderate in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Fermentation enhanced flavonoid availability and protein content, whereas the unfermented formulation offered greater dietary fibre and superior sensory acceptability. These findings suggest that the developed functional biscuits have potential as supportive dietary snacks for reducing oxidative stress and assisting in the management of postprandial blood glucose levels.