Effect of storage on organoleptic characteristics and nutritional evaluation of β-carotene and iron-rich products

Vitamin A deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia are two major micronutritional disorders of national importance affecting the vulnerable groups of the population, In the present study an effort has been made to combat this problem by developing beta-carotene and iron-rich products, namely biscuits and shakarpara by adding cauliflower leaves powder and these were stored to see the effect of storage on their organoleptic and nutritional evaluation. Fresh biscuits and shakarpara were found organoleptically acceptable, whereas the mean scores of organoleptic characteristics decreased gradually after 60 days of storage. Moisture, protein, fat, crude fibre, minerals, carbohydrates and energy contents were 2.98 g, 8.49 g, 20.90 g, 0.90 g, 1.38 g, 65.35 g and 2025 kJ/100 g in biscuits and 6.22 g, 5.38 g, 23.80 g, 0.42 g, 1.08 g, 63,10 g and 2042 kJ/100 g in shakarpara, on fresh weight basis, respectively. beta-Carotene content was 1.42 mg/100 g in biscuits and 1.55 mg/100 g in shakarpara, which decreased significantly after 60 days of storage. Total iron content was 7.16 mg/100 g in biscuits and 8.44 mg/100 g in shakarpara. Soluble iron, ionizable iron and in vitro iron at pH 7.50 in biscuits were 2.84 mg/100 g, 1.25 mg/100 g and 8.70% of total iron and in shakarpara 9.96 mg/100g, 1,75 mg/100 g and 10.24% of total iron, respectively, which decreased significantly after 60 days of storage in both products. These products can be stored for up to 30 days without any significant change in organoleptic and nutritional characteristics. (C) 2001 Academic Press.