Biology and Life Sciences
Publisher Name: IJRP
Views: 851 , Download: 559
Authors
# | Author Name |
---|---|
1 | Dimuthu Wijesinghe |
2 | K.Premakumar |
3 | U. W. L. M. Kumarasiri |
Abstract
This research study was carried out to produce quality biscuits using finger millet and cocoa powder with different recipes of the following ingredients. Biscuits prepared from different recipes vs: T1- Wheat flour + Cocoa powder, T2- Finger millet + Wheat flour + Cocoa powder, T3- Finger millet + Soaked Kasakasa seeds + Cocoa powder, T4- Finger millet + Green apple puree + Cocoa powder and T5- Finger millet + Grated coconut + Cocoa powder, were subjected to analysis of nutritional, physical, organoleptic and microbial qualities to evaluate the suitability of these biscuits for consumption . The nutritional qualities of the freshly prepared finger millet chocolate biscuits revealed that moisture, ash, protein, fat, fibre and total sugar content were significantly different from different treatments. The physical properties of biscuits revealed that there were significant differences between the treatments of biscuits at 5% level of significance. According to Tukey’s test, the mean scores for all assessed organoleptic characters varied significantly (P< 0.05) in freshly made chocolate biscuits. No harmful micro-organisms were observed in the freshly made biscuits.
Based on the nutritional and organoleptic qualities of freshly made finger millet chocolate biscuits, most preferred treatments such as T2, T3 and T4 were selected and subjected to storage studies at ambient conditions for one month to evaluate the shelf life of these biscuits. Nutritional qualities of each treatment were tested at one-week intervals for one month. The results of the nutritional analysis showed that there were significant differences (P<0.05) between the tested treatments. These results revealed the difference in moisture, ash, fat, fibre, protein and total sugar of the chocolate biscuits. The organoleptic analysis carried out at the end of four weeks revealed that there were significant (P<0.05) differences for the organoleptic characters between the formulations. From overall acceptability rating, the biscuit sample prepared from Finger millet with Green apple puree had the highest mean value compared with other treatments. .Microbial analysis was done after one month of storage. Products were not affected by any microbial activities because of low moisture content. Based on the nutritional, organoleptic and microbial qualities, the biscuit sample prepared from Finger millet with cocoa powder and green apple puree was the best treatment compared to other combinations at the end of one month storage period.