Development and Evaluation of Mixed Vegetable Jam: Physicochemical, Nutritional and Sensory Characteristics

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to develop and evaluate a nutritionally enriched mixed vegetable jam utilising underexploited or low-grade vegetables, including sweet potato, pumpkin, beetroot, carrot and turnip. Three formulations were prepared by varying the proportions of sweet potato and pumpkin while maintaining constant levels of beetroot, carrot, turnip, sugar, citric acid and pectin. The developed jam samples were analysed for physicochemical, nutritional and sensory characteristics using standard analytical procedures. Physicochemical analysis revealed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among treatments for total soluble solids (TSS), viscosity, pH and titratable acidity. Treatment T3, containing equal proportions of sweet potato and pumpkin (15:15), recorded the highest TSS (67.74 °Brix) and viscosity (41,260.33 cP), indicating superior gel consistency and stability. Nutritional evaluation showed that T3 exhibited significantly higher ash (3.12%), crude fibre (3.62%), protein (2.74%), fat (0.18%) and carbohydrate (62.61%) contents, while recording the lowest moisture content (28.91%). Sensory evaluation using a nine-point hedonic scale indicated significant differences in flavour, spreadability and overall acceptability. Among the formulations, T2, comprising sweet potato (12.5%) and pumpkin (17.5%), achieved the highest sensory scores due to its balanced taste, texture and spreadability. The study demonstrated the potential of utilising nutrient-rich vegetables for the development of value-added jam products. While T3 was superior in physicochemical and nutritional quality, T2 emerged as the most preferred formulation from a sensory perspective. The developed mixed vegetable jam offers a promising approach for enhancing vegetable utilisation, improving nutritional intake and reducing post-harvest losses through value addition.