Formulation of calcium-enriched powder from dried cauliflower leaves and lotus stem for value added product

Abstract

This study investigates the calcium content, sensory evaluation, and physicochemical characteristics of chilla premix developed from composite flours of rice flour, semolina, and calcium-rich powders, including cauliflower leaf powder, lotus stem powder, and mushroom powder. The calcium content varied significantly across treatments, with the highest concentration of 1970±1.7 mg/100 g found in Treatment R4 (60% cauliflower leaf powder, 30% lotus stem powder, 10% mushroom powder) and the lowest in Treatment R3 (50% cauliflower leaf powder, 40% lotus stem powder, 10% mushroom powder) at 1070±2.0 mg/100 g. Due to its superior calcium content, R4 was selected for further product development. Sensory evaluation of the chilla premix showed that increasing the proportion of cauliflower leaf powder led to a decline in sensory scores, with the highest scores for appearance, taste, and overall acceptability observed in the control and Treatment T2. The analysis revealed significant differences (p