Formulation and Sensory Evaluation of CalmiBites: A Novel Cocoa-Oat Snack

Abstract

Background: CalmiBites is a novel cocoa-oat snack developed using traditional Indian ingredients to provide a palatable and affordable snack option for young adults. Aims: This study aimed to develop CalmiBites and evaluate its sensory acceptability, short-term storage stability and cost-effectiveness among young adults. Study Design: An experimental product-development study was conducted, followed by sensory evaluation, storage-stability observation and cost analysis. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Food Analysis Laboratory, Department of Food and Nutrition, School of Home Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The study was conducted from March 2026 to May 2026. Methodology: CalmiBites were prepared using oats powder (40 g), sattu (40 g), jaggery (15 g) and cocoa powder (5 g) per 100 g batch, yielding approximately 10 bites of 10 g each, without artificial additives. Sensory evaluation was conducted among 30 young adults using a 9-point hedonic scale (1 = dislike extremely; 9 = like extremely). Storage stability was assessed by the researcher through organoleptic observation on Day 0, Day 15 and Day 30 under ambient conditions (25-30 °C) in an airtight container. Cost analysis was based on local retail prices. IBM SPSS 20 was used for descriptive statistics and a one-sample t-test (test value = 5; P = .05). Results: CalmiBites achieved a mean overall acceptability score of 8.23 ± 0.63, with 56.7% of participants rating it as “like very much” and 33.3% as “like extremely” (range: 7-9). The one-sample t-test confirmed that the score was significantly above the neutral hedonic value (t(29) = 28.287, P < .001). No visible signs of spoilage, including mould growth, off-odour or discolouration, were observed during 30 days of organoleptic assessment. Slight texture hardening by Day 30 did not affect acceptability. The production cost was ₹1.70 per bite (₹17.00/100 g). Conclusion: CalmiBites, formulated using nutrient-dense traditional ingredients, showed high acceptability, low ingredient cost and satisfactory 30-day organoleptic stability. The findings indicate its potential as an affordable snack alternative for young adults who prefer sweet and palatable foods. However, any possible role in stress-related or emotional eating requires dedicated psychological and physiological evaluation, which was beyond the scope of this study.