J. Dairying, Foods & H. S., 31 (4) : 301-305, 2012 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE www.arccjournals.com / indianjournals.com SENSORY AND NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS PREPARED FROM BABY CORN Rekha Sinha* and Bindu Sharama Department of Home science, Faculty of Agriculture, Birsa Agriculture University, Ranchi- 834 006, India Received: 03-07-2010 Accepted: 04-07-2012 ABSTRACT In view of growing importance of baby corn to Indian agriculture, a study was undertaken to explore its use in diversified culinary preparation and evaluate them organoleptically and nutritionally. Six types of products namely preserve, candy, pickle, ladoo, halwa and kheer in major two categories i.e. preserved and sweet products were formulated using partial/full substitution of the baby corn. All the organoleptic characteristics of baby corn preserved products excepting taste and texture of candy were found as good as control. Mean scores for taste of sweet products were in the category of very much liked and comparable to control. Nutrient composition among the recipes showed wide variation due to the nature of ingredients used in the preparation. Protein, fat, ash and fibre content of products. Key words: Baby corn, Sensory evaluation, Nutrient composition, Preserved products, Sweets products. INTRODUCTION Baby corn (Zea mays L.) is becoming popular in India as a non traditional vegetable due to rise in living standard of people as well as shift in food habits. It has great potential for export and value addition (Thakur et al. 1997; Sanjeet Kumar et al. 2001). Baby corn refers to the young cobs of maize harvested within 2-4 days after white silk emergence before fertilization (Wilai-Satitsirikul 1981; Pandey et al. 2000). It is rich in fibre, potassium riboflavin and ascorbic acid (Miles and Shaffner 1999). Its nutritive value is comparable with other vegetables like cauliflower, brinjal, tomato and cucumber (Sanjeet Kumar et al. 2001). Baby corns are deliciously palatable and can prove to be a potential crop for diet diversification,as it adds special touch to many dishes like pickles, soups, salads and several Chinese delicacies. It is popularly used as canned or stir fried vegetables in Chinese, American and European restaurants (Galinat 1985; Miles and Zenz 1997). The present study was aimed at dimensification of culinary preparation suiting to Indian taste. * Corresponding author e-mail: sinharekha_05@ yahoo.co.in MATERIALS AND METHODS Fresh baby corn was procured from the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Birsa Agricultural University Kanke Ranchi, The other ingredients used in the preparations were purchased from local market kanke in a single lot. Six popularly known Indian recipes namely Preserve, candy and pickle, as well as sweets like ladoo, halwa and kheer were selected for study. Initial trials were conducted in the laboratory using partial/full substitution of the baby corn into the recipe. Based on the trials the recipes were standardized. Methods of preparation Preserve and Candy: 1-1.5" long pieces of baby corn were pricked and blanched for 3 min. Sugar syrup was prepared by using 400 gm sugar with water and citric acid. Blanched baby corn was added to hot strained syrup and left overnight. Next day, baby corn was removed and TSS of syrup increased to 55% by adding 250g sugar. Next day TSS further increased to 70%. For Preserve the baby corn was filled in a clean airtight glass jar with syrup, while for candy baby corn was removed from syrup
302 JOURNAL OF DAIRYING FOODS AND HOME SCIENCES and dried in oven at 50 0 c for overnight. Prepared candy was packed in air tight polythene packets. Preserve and candy was prepared from carrot served as control for sensory evaluation. Pickle: Washed baby corns were grated and shade dried to remove excess water. Roasted coriander, fenugreek and aniseeds were ground coarsely and all ingredients added to grated baby corn and mixed properly. It was filled in clear airtight jar and kept for 3 days in sun. Carrot pickle prepared in similar way served as control. Kheer: Washed baby corn was grated and added to boiling milk. It was cooked till baby corn becomes soft and milk becomes thickened. It was removed from fire. Sugar, cardamom powder, almonds and raisins were added and mixed properly. Kheer prepared from bottle gourd was used as control. Halwa: Washed baby corn was ground in milk and cooked till it becomes thickened. Fat was added and fried till golden brown. Desiccated coconut and sugar were added and fried for few more minutes. Carrot halwa was used as control. Ladoo: Washed baby corn was grated and cooked in milk till it becomes thickened. Ghee was added and fried till it becomes golden brown. Sugar syrup of 3 thread consistency was prepared and added to baby corn and cooked. Desiccated coconut and cardamom powder were added and mixed properly. Small balls were formed and shaped into ladoos. Sensory evaluation: The sensory quality of the formulated products was judged by 10 semi-trained panelists using 9- point hedonic scale. (Lawless and Klein 1991). Sample preparation: Three identical preparations of each type of baby corn products were pooled together into one sample, homogenized in cyclotech grinder and dried in hot air oven at 50± 5 0 C to constant weight. Dried samples were stored in air tight plastic container and analyzed in triplicate. Chemical analysis: The samples were analyzed for moisture, total nitrogen, crude fat, ash, crude fibre by standard method of AOAC (1990). A factor of 6.25 was used to convert nitrogen into protein. For the determination of calcium and iron, about 1.0 gm of sample was digested with diacid mixture (HNO 3 : HCLO 4 : 5:1, V/V). After complete digestion, the sample was heated to near dryness and volume was made to 50ml with double distillation water and analysis was done using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Lindsey and Norwell 1969). Vitamin C was determined by 2, 6 diclorophenol indophenol titration method (Ranganna 1986). Statistical analysis: Data were subjected for analysis of variance and T- test to know the significant difference among various treatments (Panse and Sukhatme 1961). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Sensory evaluation: All three preserved products i.e. preserve, candy and pickle were found organoleptically acceptable by the panelist (Table- 2). Mean scores for colour, appearance, aroma of baby corn candy showed non significant difference and liked moderately by the panelist. However, though taste and texture of baby corn candy was acceptable and in the category of moderately liked, yet it was significantly different from the control. When compared in terms of overall acceptability, all preserved products were liked moderately and as good as control. Sensory scores of sweet products are given in Table3. Mean scores for colour, appearance, aroma, taste and overall acceptability of control and test kheer showed non significant difference and liked moderately by the panelists and were comparable to control. With regard to halwa, mean scores were in category of moderately liked, where as taste was liked very much by the panelist. Majority of the organoleptic score of test ladoo were in the category of very much liked and were found as good as control. Chemical analysis: Nutrient content of sweet and preserved baby corn products are given in Table 4 and 5. Wide variations in nutrient content were observed among different products. Moisture content of sweet baby corn products varied from 15.66± 0.06to 63.16± 0.66 percent. Crude protein content was found maximum in Ladoo (18.5 %) and minimum in Halwa(11.53 percent),where as maximum and minimum fat content was observed in Halwa ( 28.50%) and kheer (10.66 %), respectively. All the sweet products contained almost similar content of vitamin C and iron,, where as calcium content
Vol. 31, No. 4, 2012 303 TABLE 2: Sensory Score of Preserved Products Prepared from Baby Corn. Products Colour Appearance Aroma Texture Taste Overall acceptability Preserve Control 7.9± 0.23 8.2± 0.24 8.0± 0.21 7.5± 0.16 7.4± 0.16 7.34± 0.17 Test sample 7.7± 0.30 8.0± 0.25 7.8± 0.24 7.2± 0.12 7.2± 0.20 7.2± 0.25 Candy Control 7.8± 0.13 7.8± 0.13 7.4± 0.16 8.6± 0.16 7.6± 0.13 7.56± 0.10 Test sample 7.6± 0.22 7.6± 0.15 7.3± 0.15 7.6± 0.28 7.2± 0.13 7.4± 0.09 t value N.S N.S N.S 4.243* 3.674* N.S Pickle Control 8.7± 0.21 7.6± 0.16 8.2± 0.24 7.4± 0.16 7.5± 0.22 7.8± 0.13 Test sample 8.3± 0.30 7.5± 0.17 8.0± 0.25 7.2± 0.16 7.3± 0.16 7.36± 0.13 Values are mean ± SE of ten replicate * Significant at 5% level TABLE 1: Quantity of ingredients (g/ml) used in the preparation of baby corn products. Ingredient Pickle Preserve Candy Ladoo Kheer Halwa Baby corn 1000 500 500 500 500 500 Sugar 125 125 160 100 75 Citric acid 2.5 2.5 Water 750 750 Roasted spices* 35 Mustard seed 65 Salt 165 Turmeric Powder 20 Mustard oil**/ghee 350 30 100 Vinegar 1000 Chopped chilly 150 Garlic and Ginger paste 200 each Milk 1250 1000 500 Desiccated Coconut Powder 30 50 Dry fruit 10 10 pcs. * Coriander, Fenugreek, Aniseeds and Cumin seed Powder **used in pickle TABLE 3: Sensory score of Sweet products prepared from baby corn. Products Colour Appearance Aroma Texture Taste Overall acceptability Kheer Control 7.8± 0.32 7.6± 0.30 7.8± 0.13 8.1± 0.16 7.7± 0.15 7.7± 0.09 Test sample 7.7± 0.15 7.7± 0.15 7.7± 0.21 7.4± 0.26 7.6± 0.16 7.52± 0.11 t Value N.S N.S N.S 2.689* N.S N.S Halwa Control 7.7± 0.15 7.7± 0.15 7.8± 0.24 8.1± 0.10 8.6± 0.16 7.98± 0.16 Test sample 7.6± 0.22 7.5± 0.16 7.6± 0.16 7.8± 0.13 8.5± 0.16 7.78± 0.19 Ladoo Control 7.8± 0.24 8.3± 0.15 8.5± 0.16 8.2± 0.13 8.5± 0.16 8.4± 0.16 Test sample 7.7± 0.15 8.2± 0.12 8.4± 0.16 7.9± 0.10 8.4± 0.13 8.3± 0.21 Mean ± SE of ten replicate * Significant at 5% level
304 JOURNAL OF DAIRYING FOODS AND HOME SCIENCES TABLE 4: Chemical composition of Baby corn sweet Products (on dry weight basis per 100 g ). Nutrient Kheer Halwa Ladoo C D Moisture, g 63.167± 0.667 25.667± 0.167 15.667± 0.067 1.400 Protein, g 17.467± 0.088 11.533± 0.145 18.500± 0.289 0.682 Fat, g 10.66± 0.17 28.50± 0.28 19.44± 0.22 0.539 Fibre, g 1.4± 0.100 1.86± 0.088 1.300± 0.068 0.296 Ash, g 3.33± 0.24 2.33± 0.088 2.46± 0.046 0.539 Vitamin-C, mg 2.000± 0.000 2.000± 0.000 2.333± 0.167 N.S Iron, mg 5.997± 0.452 6.137± 0.139 5.747± 0.164 N.S Calcium, mg 567.567± 33.333 302.600± 2.000 434.200± 33.400 96.195 Values are mean ± standard error of three replicates TABLE 5: Chemical composition of Baby corn Preserved Products ( on dry weight basis per 100 g ). Nutrient Candy Preserve Pickle C D (P< 0.05) Moisture, g 2.233± 0.145 12.50± 0.289 53.333± 0.333 0.946 Protein, g 3.767± 0.45 3.367± 0.067± 7.667± 0.167 0.470 Fat, g 2.933± 0.67 3.0± 0.038 49.00± 0.116 0.296 Ash, g 3.660± 0.170 2.000± 0.000 11.333± 0.088 0.390 Fibre, g 1.2± 0.000 0.560± 0.040 3.560± 0.45 0.249 Vitamin-C, mg 1.717± 0.012 1.660± 0.080 3.393± 0.097 0.257 Iron, mg 4.897± 0.088 5.247± 0.179 5.443± 0.400 N.S Calcium, mg 100.133± 0.064 100.067 200.40± 0.00 0.192 Values are mean ± standard error of three replicates. ranged from 302.60± to 567.66 mg/100g. Among the preserved product pickle had significantly higher content of moisture, protein, fat, ash, fibre, vitamin C and calcium content. Except moisture, ash and fibre content, preserve and candy had almost similar content of protein, fat, vitamin C, iron and calcium content. Wide variation in nutrient content among these baby corn products were attributed to the nature of ingredients added to the recipe,which were in conformity with those reported by Anitha and Rajyalakshmi (2005) CONCLUSION Promotion of baby corn cultivation in India needs diversification of products suited to Indian taste. All products developed in this study were found highly acceptable, Promotion of these products can add value to this crop, which in turn will benefit the growers of baby corn cultivation. REFERENCES AOAC (1990). Official Methods of Analysis 16 edition, Association of official Analytical chemists, Washington DC. Anita, G, and Rajyalakshmi, P.( 2005).Baby Corn ( Zea mays L.):Physico-chemical characteristics and use in Product development. J food Sci Technol.42( 3): 234-238. Galinat, W.C. (1985). Whole ear baby corn, a new way to eat corn. Proc. Northest Corn Improvement Conference 40: 22-27. Lawless, H.T. and Kelin, B.P. (1991). Sensory Science. Theory and Application in Foods. Marcel Dekker INC, New York. Lindsey, W.L. and Norwell, M.A. (1969). A new DPTA TEA Soil test for zinc and iron. Agron Abstract. 61: 84 Miles, C.A. and Shaffner (1999). Baby corn research report, Washington State University co operative extension Lewis countary P8. URL: http:// agsyst wsu.edu. Miles, C.A. and Zenz H(1997). Baby corn production. Washington State University co-operative extension,360 NW North St. Chehalies WA.URL: http: agsyst wsu.edu. Miles, C.A. and Zenz L,Allenan G(1999). Baby corn food from the field series brochure; Washington State University extention king courtary Agriculture commission http: agsyst wsu.edu/corn broc..htm. Pandey, A.K. and Prakash, V, Hari,V. P., Singh, R. D (2000). Effect of rate of nitrogen and time of application on yield and economics of baby corn (zea mays). Indian J Agron 45:338-343. Panse, V. and Sukhatme, P.V. (1961). Statistical methods for Agricultural workers, 2 nd edn. Indian council Agricu. Rese., New Delhi, P87
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