Feasibility of formulating ready to eat` products based on cassava

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Date
1997
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Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani
Abstract
A study on the 'Feasibility of formulating Ready- to-Eat products based on Cassava’ was conducted with major objective to utilise the major root crop cassava for the preparation of Ready-to-Eat product. The study comprised of standardisation of basic product Vermicelli; preparation of sweet vermicelli and savoury vermicelli; determination of quality of product through organoleptic quality studies and preference tests; assessing the nutritional significance as well as physiological tolerance of the developed food product and package and shelf-life studies. The basic product vermicelli was formulated with cassava flour as the basic ingredient. Twelve combinations were tried with different proportions of cassava flour. The other ingredients added to cassava flour were maida, soy flour, rice flour and milk powder. The milk powder. The selection of the best combination was based on extrusion behaviour. Nutritional adequacy and cost benefit ratio. A combination with cassava flour 40%, maida 30%, Soy flour 20% and sugar/salt 10% was selected as the ideal combination since it secured higher score for extrusion behaviour than other combinations. The amino acid score and cost of the combination was also found to be satisfactory. Savoury Vermicelli was prepared by the addition of salt and seasonings and sweet vermicelli by the addition of sugar during processing. Cooking characteristics of developed products such as cooking time, bulk density and water absorption index were rated as good. The nutritional composition of the food product revealed that the product contained all the nutrients in optimum quantity. The nutritional quality of the developed food product before and after processing with reference to proteins, calcium, magnesium and calories were determined through suitable laboratory techniques and result showed that there was some amount of loss during processing. Regarding the physiological tolerance, the developed food product exhibited a Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) of 2.2 to 2.4 indicating that the quality of protein is good. The other quality parameters such as Biological value (BV) Digestability co-efficient (DC) and Net protein Utilisation (NPU) of the product were also found to be satisfactory. Organoleptic and preference studies of the developed food product was assessed by three groups of consumers viz. experts, housewives and old people. The parameters tested under organoleptic studies were appearance, flavour, taste, texture and colour. The analysis revealed that both the sweet and savoury vermicelli got highest scores. There was no significant difference between these two preparations except for taste. Sweet vermicelli had a slightly higher mean score, compared to savoury vermicelli. Effect of storage on moisture, peroxide and total sugar content revealed that there was an increase in all the three parameters during the six months storage period. The increase in moisture over months was statistically different. Eventhough the products showed an increase in total sugar and peroxide content, over the period, the increase observed was not significant statistically. Observation on insect infestation revealed that there was no insect infestation up to six months of storage period. As future line of work, the results of the present study suggest the development of proper food processing technology in order to equip the rural people, particularly the women folk for an income generating activity and building up a healthy rural population.
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Citation
171306
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