New makhana (Euryale ferox Salisb.) processed products for health benefit

Abstract

Makhana or gorgon nut is an important non cereal food from aquatic resources. People now a day’s prefer to protein rich food in their eating habit for sound health as compared to carbohydrate rich products. For our present study conducted at Research Centre on Makhana, Darbhanga, India during 2015-2016, we prepared Makhana barfi and kalakand as sweets and makhana chapatti and makhana pokora as evening snack food from makhana flour and mixed flour. Makhana flour was prepared from drying of seed at 30-35 0C for 42 hours followed by crashing and sieving. The water and oil absorption capacity of makhana flour were 6.39 g gel/g and 2.09 g gel/g, respectively whereas moisture content and bulk density of the flour were 9.15 % and 696.74 kg /cm3, respectively. As the sugar content of the products were very less and having medium to high calorific value, it might be fitted for normal as well as diabetic and B.P. patient. Makhana-wheat chapatti (1:1) was very excellent product, which had calorific value of 317.24 cal/100 g product and might improve overall status of health of aged people. Makhana kalakand was low free sugar (16.66%) and high protein (11.53%) sweets as compared to makhana barfi (19.33% sugar & protein 5.40%). From this study we concluded that kalakand as sweets and makhana chapatti (1:1) as evening snack food were the best for health conscious people in terms of their calorie intake. Resultant products from makhana flour had very good expansion, appearance, colour and taste and may be exploited as evening snack food potentially.