Organoleptic and Nutritional Evaluation of Value Added Noodles from Amaranth Seed Flour

Abstract

Pseudocereals are as good as the true cereals in many aspects of nutritional value. Either substituting or supplementing the staple cereals with pseudocereals and thereby improving the nutritive value of foods are under experimentation. Amaranth, a pseudocereal possess the usual characteristics of cereals such as bland taste, ease of cooking and also contain a substantial quality of cooking and fat as compared to most cereals.  Amaranth contain good amount of fiber, energy and mineral than the conventional grains. Nevertheless, amaranth grain is still considered as a underutilized food crop and its consumed very few places. The usage of amaranth green, though very common in many parts of India. Development of nutritionally superior inexpensive food and acceptable to intended consumer is the biggest challenge of the present time. The present investigation was designed to develop high protein product by incorporation of amaranth flour. Amaranth flour was incorporate in the ratio of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 per cent in the wheat flour. The higher score of overall acceptability was 7.70± 0.10 for 50 per cent substitution of amaranth flour after control and the minimum as 6.67± 0.25 for the 70 per cent amaranth flour noodles. Considering the results obtained and characteristics of flour used, the amaranth flour addition up to 30 per cent is evident to improve some nutritional properties and 50 per cent for sensory characteristic. Results also showed significant increase (P<0.05) in the protein (13.22 g) when compared with control (12.07 g). In this research it was analyzed that the different amount of amaranth flour plays an important role in noodles making by enhancing nutritional parameters and overall product quality. Resultant noodles can be used as a nutritious food with higher content of protein and other nutritious elements in an increased market of noodle product where quality protein is an issue.