Nutritional and Sensory Evaluation of Low-Cost Iron Rich Recipes Fortified with Garden Cress Seeds (Lepidium Sativum)

Abstract

Abstract: Seeds are versatile ingredient, which can be used to enhance texture and add burst of micro nutrients. Among all known seeds, Garden cress seed (Gcs) is an unpopular and often referred as Forgotten Superfood as general public is unaware of its inexpensiveness and nutritive potential which is yet not utilised to its fullest. Gcs comes with hampered number of micronutrients, 100 gm of Gcs contain 723mg phosphorus, 377 mg calcium and 100 mg iron. This study focuses on the development of low-cost iron rich recipes using Gcs. The two recipes developed were Fruit Leather (FL) and Instant Sattu premix drink (SD). Three variants for each recipe were created, as FL1, FL2, FL3 and SD1, SD2, SD3; with different level of fortification, which was first sensory analysed, to estimate the most accepted variants. The best accepted variant FL3 and SD2 was not significant (p>0.05) different in other attributes. Nutrients like iron. protein, carbohydrate, and fibre were analysed. FL cover 11.25% DV of total iron requirement, SD comprehend 37.50%. Both the product contains beneficial amount of protein, carbohydrates and fibre, which will aid both adolescence and people of older age. The cost of the products was relatively lower than the market price, total production cost of FL was 12.5 Rs/100gm and SD cost for 18.5 Rs/100 gm. Both the products are worthwhile as they provide such vital nutrients in abundant on lower cost.