Value Economics of Groundnut Deoiled Cake Flour

Abstract

The global agri-food system faces the dual challenge of ensuring nutritional security while minimizing environmental waste. Oilseed processing generates nutrient-rich by-products such as groundnut deoiled cake, which are often underutilized and primarily used as animal feed despite their high potential for human nutrition. The present study investigated the value addition potential of Groundnut Deoiled Cake Flour (GDCF) obtained from traditional cold-pressed oil mills (Telghana) for the development of shelf-stable food products, thereby supporting circular bio-economy principles. GDCF was incorporated into various traditional and convenience foods including sweetened bars, groundnut chikki, sesame chikki, crackers, chutneys, cookies, cupcakes, toffee, extruded snacks, and chocolate balls at substitution levels ranging from 30% to 50%, with certain formulations utilizing 100% GDCF. Product formulations were optimized through sensory evaluation conducted by a seven-member trained panel using a 9-point hedonic scale. The results demonstrated good sensory acceptability across most products, with overall acceptability scores ranging from 7 to 8.8. A 50% incorporation of GDCF was found optimal for traditional sweets such as chikkis and chutneys, whereas 30% incorporation yielded the best sensory scores for bakery and extruded products including crackers, cookies, cupcakes, and chocolate balls. Economic analysis revealed substantial profitability and value addition, as the utilization of GDCF reduced production costs while significantly increasing market value. The highest value addition was observed in cookies (4882.5%), followed by groundnut chikki (2922.2%), sesame chikki (2694.8%), and chocolate balls (2302.4%). Overall, the study highlights the strong potential of groundnut deoiled cake as a functional ingredient for the development of nutritious and economically viable food products. The utilization of such agro-industrial by-products not only enhances resource efficiency but also creates opportunities for rural entrepreneurship while contributing to sustainable strategies for addressing protein-energy malnutrition.