Sensory and nutritional evaluation of beverages developed using malted ragi (Eleusine coracana)

Abstract

Five milk based beverages were developed by supplementing malted ragi and were organoleptically evaluated for sensory attributes by semi-trained panel of 10 judges. Control samples were developed by using milk, fruits (banana, kiwi, strawberry, papaya and mango) and honey and in test samples malted ragi was added at different levels ranging from 5-15 percent. Results revealed that banana based malted ragi beverage supplemented with 5 percent malted ragi was overall highly acceptable in terms of all sensory attributes. The most accepted level was chemically analysed for proximate composition, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, available carbohydrates and antinutritional components by using standard methods. The most acceptable malted ragi beverage was estimated to have 11.78±0.06 g crude protein, 6.81±0.51 g of crude fat, 1.21±0.07 g of crude fibre, 27.44±1.03 g of carbohydrates, 594.3±4.5 mg of tryptophan, 517.6±23.2 mg of methionine, 372.3±8.5 mg of lysine, 172.6 mg of calcium, 3.73 mg of iron, 102.2 mg of phosphorus and 0.596 mg of zinc per 100 ml. The anti-nutritional components were 155.8±11.3 mg of phytates, 15.4±2.3 mg of total phenols and 0.32±0.01 mg of trypsin inhibitor activity. Total sugars were found to be 5.44±0.21 g, 3.16±0.15 g of reducing sugars, 2.28±0.14 g of non-reducing sugars and 1.06±0.05 g of starch. It may be concluded that malted ragi can be utilized successfully up to 5 percent level to prepare beverages with high nutritional value without imposing negative impact on sensory attributes which may prove a boon to osteoporotic patients.