Development and evaluation of organoleptic and microbial quality of guar gum incorporated composite flour cookies

Abstract

The present study is conducted to develop and evaluate the organoleptic and microbial quality of guar gum incorporated composite flour cookies. The standardization is important in order to select the best proportion or level of guar gum and composite flour for the preparation of cookies. Wheat flour was replaced with different proportion of horse gram and pearl millet flour. The ratio of composite flour as wheat flour: horse gram: pearl millet was for T0 (100:0:0), T1 50:30:20 and 0.1% guar gum, T2 50:30:20 and 0.2% guar gum, T3 50:30:20 and 0.3% guar gum, T4 50:30:20 and 0.4% guar gum respectively. Sample T3 (0.3% guar gum) was found to be organoleptically superior over other samples. Microbiological studies conducted for best cookies sample (0.3% guar gum) revealed that total plate count of these cookies was 0×103 to 4.1×103 and yeast & mould count of cookies was 0×103 to 2.4×103 during 0 to 90 days of storage. Cookies produced by 0.3% addition of guar gum, 20% pearl millet flour, 30% horse gram flour and 50% refined wheat flour was acceptable and their contamination level was still within acceptable limit.