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Pick Up That Pawpaw
Did you know there really is a fruit called a pawpaw? A recent study published in the Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal finds that the pawpaw, a mango-like fruit that grows in the eastern U.S. and Canada, is a tasty fat substitute in baked goods. Study participants taste-tested three types of muffins -- one made with vegetable oil and two others made with low-fat alternatives, applesauce and pawpaw. Study participants rated the muffins made with pawpaw as highly as those made with oil and more desirable than those made with applesauce. Both applesauce and pawpaw recipes use less oil (one tablespoon) than the other muffin recipe, which calls for 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of oil. However, participants expressed some dissatisfaction with the texture of the muffins made with applesauce, but not with the pawpaw muffins. Participants weren't too enthralled with the pawpaw muffins' appearance -- some thought the pawpaw treat was too dark. Overall, though, the pawpaw performed quite well, suggesting that consumers may accept pawpaw puree as a fat substitute in commercial food products or as a food item itself -- good news for cultivators and fans of this little-known fruit.