Research Title: Confectionery with Glycyrrhiza

Student-Researcher: Kristine Khanamiryan, ANAU Faculty of Food Technology, Department of Bread, Confectionery, Pasta Production Technology

Scientific Supervisor: Narine Hovhannisyan, PhD, ANAU Docent, Faculty of Food Products, Department of Plant Food Processing Technologies

Research Objective: The main goal of the research was to develop a new type of confectionery with functional purpose, replacing sugar with an alternative product of a natural substitute.

Research Results:

• On May 23-28, 2022, the student participated in the Student Scientific Week organized by the ANAU and made presention at the inter-faculty conference on the topic “Development of a new recipe for Belgian waffles made with peanut butter and determination of chemical indicators”. Having passed this phase the student participated in the inter-university stag
• On July 2, 2022, she participated in the 25th scientific conference of Gavar State University on the topic “Development of a new cookie recipe with natural sugar substitute”.
• The student has developed two manuscripts։

1.     G. Hovhannisyan, K.S. Khanamiryan (2022) “The Effect of Natural Sugar Substitute on the Physicochemical Indices of Cupcake”, Armenian national agrarian university N 2(78)/2022. Available at https://library.anau.am/images/stories/grqer/agro-tex/2022-2/hovhannisyan_khanamiryan.pdf
2. S. Khanamiryan, N.G. Hovhannisyan, G. Apreyan (2023) “ Development of a new cookie recipe with a natural sugar substitute ”, Scientific journal #25 of Gavar state university, pp 44-55. Available at https://publications.gsu.am/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/gsu2023-14-1.pdf

Story Behind the Research

The aim of the research of AGRI CAMP Program grantee Kristine Khanamiryan, is to propose a natural alternative to sugar for confectionery and bakery production – Licorice extract. Kristine is sure that the use of Licorice extract in the production of confectionery will allow people with diabetes to use confectionery without harming the body.

Why did you decide to choose this research topic?

• In 2019, enrolling in a postgraduate course in Plant and Animal Food Processing Technologies at the National Agrarian University of Armenia, Faculty of Food Technology, I was going to conduct serious research, particularly in the field of plant processing technologies. I have chosen this topic after a long groundwork together with Professor Nazaryan, PhD, Docent, who was my supervisor at that time. He helped me to come up with the topic entitled “Development of bakery and confectionery technologies using natural sugar substitutes”.
• We faced with different challenges during the research work, including financial ones. When learned that the AGRI CAMP Program provides Student Research Grants, I immediately applied, hoping to be selected and to be able to complete my dissertation research․

How did your initial assumptions change during the process of research?

• My understanding of the course of scientific research, before I started doing it myself, was different. Now I approach each stage of my research work with much more attention and responsibility.

   

What new experiences have you obtained through participation in the AGRI CAMP Program?

• The grant received from the AGRI CAMP Program made it possible to carry out this important research, in the process of which I gained new knowledge and skills in research planning and implementation, which I will be able to use in my future scientific research and development activities.

How does the scientific environment contribute to the research process?

• It would not have been possible to conduct research without a favorable scientific environment, the support of scientific institutions and the valuable advice of the scientists around me. The role of my scientific supervisor, Narine Hovhannisyan is great, of course. My research work was also supported by the Department of Plant Food and Raw Material Processing Technology of the Scientific Research Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry of the Yerevan State University and “FDA Laboratory” LLC. I’d like to mention also the AGRI CAMP team, in particular Hasmik Hayrapetyan, the student research grant mentor. Whenever there is a problem with the research, she helps me to “save my face”.

 

   

How will the successful completion of the research affect your future professional career?

• Later on, I’d like to carry out scientific research on the development of technologies for new types of functional products. I also would like to complete my PhD in the nearest future․