Effect of Foxtail Millet, Rock Salt and Black cumin on the Sensory Attributes of Functional Buttermilk

Abstract

Aims: To design and evaluate a nutritious, functional buttermilk, exploring optimal combinations of foxtail millet, rock salt and black cumin to elevate sensory satisfaction Study Design: Development of functional buttermilk by incorporating functional ingredients at varying levels to evaluate their effect on sensory properties of the product. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Department of Dairy Technology, Dairy Science College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, during the period from December 2024 to September 2025. Methodology: Cow milk (fat 3.5%, SNF 8.5%) was incorporated with foxtail millet flour at varying levels of 5%, 7.5%, and 10%. Then subjected to heat treatment at 90 °C for 5 minutes, followed by cooling to 37 °C. The milk was then inoculated with 2% Lactococci culture and incubated at 37 °C for 4–5 hours to allow the setting of millet-enriched curd. The set curd was broken using agitators, and water was added in a 1:1.5 ratio. Followed by, rock salt was incorporated at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%, along with black cumin seed powder at 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%. Sensory evaluations were performed using a 9-point hedonic scale by trained panellists. Statistical analysis of data, including ANOVA and critical difference (CD), was carried out using R software (version 4.1.3). Results: The sensory score for optimized functional buttermilk with incorporation of 5% foxtail millet got overall acceptability score of (8.25), While with 5% foxtail millet and 1% rock salt got overall acceptability score of (8.24) and the formulation of functional buttermilk with incorporation of 5% foxtail millet, 1% rock salt and 1% black cumin seed powder got overall acceptability score of (8.50) achieving the highest scores for all attributes. Conclusion: The study revealed that 5% foxtail millet, 1% rock salt, and 1% black cumin seed powder significantly enhanced the sensory attributes of functional buttermilk, improving color, texture, flavor, and overall acceptability, with no risk to human consumption.