Optimization of Different Process Variables on Structural and Quality Attributes for the Development of Vacuum Fried Gulab Jamun

Abstract

Background: Gulab jamun is a delicious dairy food items popular not only the Indian subcontinent but also in all over the world. Now a days, people are health conscious towards the healthy diet having low in fat content. However, Vacuum frying (VF) is one of the best technologies which produce high quality food items having low fat content and better appearance with respect to atmospheric frying (AF). Methods: For the preparation of gulab jamun, the dough balls were fried under the VF (oil temperature: 125, 135, 145°C, vacuum pressure: 15, 20, 25 cm Hg and time: 8, 10, 12 min) and AF (temperature: 160°C, time: 4 min) conditions. The prepared gulab jamun was compared with different parameters such as moisture content, oil content, color, volume expansion, texture and structure. Result: The optimized gulab jamun was obtained using response surface methodology at temperature 137.82°C, pressure 25 cm Hg and time 9.38 min. The product had less in oil content, intense in color, smooth and soft texture (texture analyzer) and porous in structure (X-ray micro-CT scan) as compared to atmospheric fried gulab jamun.