Sudesh Jood

An indigenous food mixture was developed by mixing barley flour (raw and germinated), whey powder and tomato pulp in the ratio of 2:1:1:1 (w/w). The developed food (100 g) was mixed with water (500 ml) and autoclaved at 1.5 kg/cm² for 15 min. It was then cooled and inoculated with Lactobacillus acidophilus curd (5%) and incubated at 37°C for 12 h containing 10⁶ cfu/ml broth. Fermented food mixture formulated from germinated barley flour maintained adequate cell viability (8.88 cfu/ml) as compared to non-germinated food mixture. To study the therapeutic effect of the food mixture, diarrhoea was induced in mice using 0.5 ml of aqueous suspension orally with the help of sterilized syringe to each of the overnight fasted mice and the mice were examined till onset of diarrhoea. The aqueous suspension was prepared by using 10 ml of six h old culture of E. coli cells (5 × 10¹¹ cfu/ml) and 6 ml alkaline solution (powdered chalk (40%), colloidal kaolin (43%) and magnesium trisilicate (17%) and both were mixed in 10:6 (v/v) proportions. After induction of diarrhoea, the mice were divided in two groups, control and experimental. The control group was fed on unfermented food mixture whereas experimental group was fed on fermented food mixture. Faecal ash, nitrogen, moisture and coliform count increased while faecal lactobacilli count decreased in mice having diarrhoea. In the experimental group, which was fed on fermented food mixture, normal values were reached within 7 days of feeding but no such changes were observed in control group which was fed on unfermented food mixture. Liver and kidney showed lesions due to E. coli infection were significantly alleviated on feeding of probiotic food mixture.

Palm oil as a rich source of carotene appears to be the only oil of vegetable origin which can serve as a potent source of vitamin A and monounsaturated fatty acids mainly oleic acid. Considering the nutritive value of crude palm oil this study was directed towards blending of CPO with other commonly used cooking vegetable oils to attain ideal fatty acid composition of SFA:MUFA:PUFA (1:2:1). Palm oil was blended with safflower oil and soybean oil in two different proportions, i.e. CPO:safflower oil (65:35 and 70:30) and CPO:soybean oil (55:45 and 65:35). Chemical characteristics and fatty acid composition of crude palm oil and its blends were determined. Saponification value was highest in CPO and lowest in safflower oil. No peroxide value was detected in fresh oils. β-Carotene content was 366.19 μg g−1\ud in CPO and found absent in safflower and soybean oils. Fat acidity (mg KOH/g) was lowest (0.12) in CPO and highest (0.25) in safflower oil. The fatty acid composition of different oils revealed that palmitic acid was the predominant fatty acid (43.45%) in CPO followed by oleic (40.98%) and linoleic acids (14.67%). However, safflower and soybean oils contained the highest amount of linoleic acid (73.61, 54.22%) followed by oleic (18.23, 22.35%), palmitic (6.27, 11.09%) and stearic acids (1.87, 2.53%), respectively.\u

Soybean (full-fat and defatted) and barley flours were incorporated into wheat flour at 5, 10, 15 and 20% substitution levels. The gluten content, sedimentation value and water absorption capacity of the flour blends and the mixing time of the dough decreased with increase in the level of soybean and barley flour separately and in combinations. Protein and glutelin contents increased significantly on blending of soyflour (full-fat and defatted) to bread wheat flour. The breads prepared from the blends also varied in their loaf weight, loaf volume and sensory characteristics. The bread volume decreased with increasing amount of non-wheat flour substitution. The crumb colour changed from creamish white to dull brown and a gradual hardening of crumb texture was observed as the addition of soybean (full-fat and defatted) and barley flours increased. At the higher levels, the acceptability declined because of the compact texture of the crumb and the strong flavour of the product. The addition of 10% of soyflour (full-fat and defatted) or 15% of barley flour, full-fat soy + barley or defatted soy + barley flour to bread flour produced acceptable bread.

Wheat flour was separately substituted with fenugreek flour (raw, soaked, and germinated) at 5–20% levels for product making. Nutrient analysis of the blends, product development, and their acceptability were carried out. Replacement of wheat flour with fenugreek flour increased the protein, fat, lysine, minerals, and dietary fibre contents proportionately to the level of substitution. Among the composite flours, the blends containing germinated fenugreek flour were found superior in nutritional quality compared to others. However, products, viz., bread, biscuits, noodles, and macaroni prepared from the wheat–fenugreek blends at 10, 15, and 20% levels, were found organoleptically acceptable.

The effect of blending of fenugreek (raw, soaked, and germinated) flour (Trigonella faenum graecum) from 5 to 20% in wheat flour on the rheological and sensory evaluation of bread, biscuit, noodle, and macroni was studied. Farinograph water absorption, dough development time, mixing tolerance index, and dough stability increased significantly with increased amount of fenugreek flour. Incorporation of fenugreek flour in wheat flour increased the protein and fat contents of blends but decreased the gluten contents. Among the supplemented blends, blends containing germinated fenugreek flour had higher protein contents (13.83–16.30%) up to 20%. Overall acceptability scores of bread, biscuit, noodles, and macroni were found highly acceptable up to 15, 10, and 20% levels, respectively.