DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY EVALUATION OF A MICRONUTRIENT RICH TRADITIONAL INDIAN PRODUCT BY UTILIZATION OF LOCALLY AVAILABLE FOOD RESOURCES

Abstract

Malnutrition is a severe matter of concern among various countries due to modern lifestyles, especially the consumption of rapidly processed fast food. In 2018, a WHO and UNICEF study concluded that the SDG objective of eradicating all forms of malnutrition by 2030 was aspirational but unattainable and set targets for malnutrition indicators up to 2030 based on current trends. The present situation demands products rich in micronutrients, meet growth and development requirements, and are readily acceptable. A critical reason for such use of rice flour is its nonallergenic nature. A small proportion of the population is allergic to wheat gluten. Rice is widely used in baking for such wheat-intolerant people, i.e., those suffering from the coeliac disorder. Its nonallergenic property also makes rice one of the first cereals to be used in infant feeding. In this scenario, rice flour is preferred as the foremost choice for required sensory acceptability and a low-cost diet. Food-based approaches are recognised as an essential part of an urgently needed, more comprehensive strategy for improving nutrition by increasing the availability and consumption to combat calcium, iron, phosphorus and other micronutrient deficiencies. The combination of rice flour, beaten rice, banana, jaggery contains a high amount of energy protein with calcium and iron content. Such a combination of foods can enhance the nutritive value of homemade products, which can be beneficial for t h e malnourished population. The present study was undertaken to develop anarsa by combining banana, jaggery and rice flour using the air frying method. The developed product was evaluated for sensory attributes by a panel of 10 judges on 9 points hedonic rating scale. The calculated nutritive value from Indian Food Composition Tables (2017) showed that the product (100g) was not only had a high level of macronutrients, i.e. energy (3123.6 Kcal), carbohydrate (172.5g), protein (12.24g), fat (4.52g) but also rich in micronutrients like calcium (262.8mg), phosphorus (294.4mg) and iron (6.52mg). The product was packed and stored for 15 days at ambient temperature in an airtight container. At pre-evaluation, all the sensory parameters at the 9-point hedonic rating scale were found to be highly acceptable between 'liked moderately' (rating 8) to 'liked very much. After 15 days of storage, all sensory parameters changed and were lying in-between 'liked slightly' (rating 6) to 'liked moderately' (rating 7). The changes in sensory parameters may be due to the darkening of jaggery and changes in the flavour of the product. Thus, it can be concluded that the development and consumption of novel foods from rice flour in combination with other foods like may banana, jaggery and poppy seeds may provide cost-effective and acceptable options for combating macro and micronutrient deficiencies.