Formulation And Evaluation of Herbal Nutritional Cookies

Table 1: Nutritional Ingredients and Their Key Health Benefits

Ingredient	Image	Key Benefit
Red Pumpkin Seed		Rich in zinc & protein
Jaggery		Natural sweetener, rich in iron
Almond		Boosts brain & skin health
Ghee		Aids digestion, energy source
Milk		Strong bones, protein-rich
Ragi Flour		High calcium, good for diabetes

Table 2: Formulation table for nutritional cookies

Sr. No.	ingredient	quantity	Use
1	Red pumpkin seed	30%	Source of protein and mineral
2	Jaggery	20%	Source of calcium iron, mg
3	Almond	10%	Source of fibres, vitamin
4	Ghee	10%	Source of energy
5	Milk	20%	Source proteins
6	Ragi flour	Q.S up to 100%	Source of dietary fibres and proteins

Table 3: Comparison between Marketed Formulation and Prepared Formulation

Sr. No.	Marketed formulation	Prepared formulation
1	Wheat is used which contain high amount of fats	Ragi is used which contain high amount of protein
2	Sugar loses all nutritional value	Jaggery retains all nutritional value
3	Steroids	No steroids

Commercially available formulations serve as nutritional supplements but exhibit numerous disadvantages, such as muscle dystrophy and cramps, which can be mitigated by ragi flour, known for its high protein content. The marketed formulation use sugar as a sweetening agent, which lacks nutritional value, and substitutes it with jaggery, which is healthful. The primary disadvantage of the marketed formulation is that steroids possess numerous detrimental health effects. Our formulated product is complimentary.      

Figure 1: Methodology for preparation of nutritional cookies

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Sensory evaluation 

The effect of ragii flour incorporation on the sensory properties of cookies, such as colour, appearance, and texture. The sensory evaluation shows the cookies are made from 75% ragi flour. Jaggery powder got the overall acceptability to consumers. However, in the case of honey incorporates increased physical properties and thickness. The sensory evaluation properties like colour, texture, taste and aroma of nutritional cookies are given in Table 3.

Table 4: Sensory Evaluation For nutritional cookies

Nutritional facts:

The pumpkin seeds may be small, but they contain full of nutrients. Eating only in a small amount can provide the highest quantity of minerals & proteins. Proteins are the most important nutrient; nearly 9.5% of protein is present in this formulation. Calcium is the most important mineral for the human body. It helps to maintain healthy teeth and bones; about 27% calcium is present in the 500 gm formulation of the given ingredient. The nutritional facts of the nutritional cookies are mentioned in Table 4.

Table 5: Nutritional fact per 100 gm

CONCLUSION

The aforementioned research investigation established that pumpkin seeds include significant nutritional attributes and are abundant in protein, fiber, and minerals. Nachani flour addresses all the deficiencies of wheat flour. Sugar forfeits its nutritious value after processing, whereas jaggery preserves it. Jaggery possesses a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals and a reduced sugar level compared to white sugar; the inclusion of ghee, milk, and almonds enhances the formulation's nutritional value and health benefits. A multitude of supplements is accessible in the market; however, many include elevated levels of steroids and sugar, which may result in detrimental health effects, such as muscle dystrophy. It comprises dietary supplements, botanical items, prebiotics, and probiotics. Disorders arise from deficiencies in protein, fat, vitamins, and energy. The current investigation indicates that the energy-dense formulation possesses significant nutritional value. The formulation will address all shortcomings of the existing commercial formulation and serve as an effective nutritional supplement.

Future Scope;

Physicochemical analysis: The many physicochemical parameters of pumpkin seeds include length, breadth, and thickness. Seeds exhibit variability in dimensions, morphology, and texture. A digital micrometer is employed to measure the three fundamental dimensions of length, breadth, and thickness of entire pumpkin seeds with an accuracy of 0.1 nm. The water displacement method is employed to ascertain the actual density of the seed. The color of seeds varies from golden yellow to orange flesh, contingent upon the polyphenolic pigment present. The seeds exhibit reduced bulk density and elevated true density.

Antioxidant property: Pumpkin seeds possess significant antioxidant properties due to their high content of flavonoids and phenolic acids. They also comprise a modest quantity of vitamins. Antioxidants mitigate inflammation and safeguard your cells from deleterious radicals. The antioxidant value was obtained with 50% of ethanol.

Antimicrobial assay: The total viable count of bacteria indicates the overall quantity of bacteria present in the sample. The variable bacterial count indicates the conditions under which food was produced. This count can forecast the shelf life of bacteria or maintain the product's quality over time. There is an escalation in the spiciness degree across all organoleptic features.

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