STUDIES ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF WHEY- HERBAL-SPICE MIXTURE

The study was designed to prepare whey herbal spice mixture, which was used as constituent of Pani Puri. Pani puri a spicy food item liked by many Indian peoples and it is popular throughout India. Puri is puffed made round, made up of wheat flour which is consumed after filling it with sour, hot and spicy chilled water known as pani. Pani is consumed with Puri utilizing whey at the place of water, by adding some flavor of whey. Whey is a by-product obtained during coagulation of milk by using acid. It contains about half of the milk solids in which nutritional components such as lactose, protein and minerals are present in large amount. Pani puri from whey water was prepared in three flavors by adding cumin seeds (II), asafoetida (III) and tamarind (IV) respectively. Sample I was Plain without adding any flavor. Method of preparation includes whey, addition of spice mixture (20%), addition of flavoring agents like cumin, asafoetida, tamarind (1.5%) with proper mixing and chilling, filtering and storage at low temperature (4.0±1ºC). The prepared beverage has light green color, highly acceptable taste and overall acceptability. Sensory evaluation of the products was done using nine point hedonic scale on the basis of appearance, color, palatability, flavor and overall acceptability. Physicochemical analysis of the products was done by estimating pH, moisture and ash percentage. Total soluble solids, acidity and pH were found to be acceptable by the end of 0-10 days storage. Products were judged for acceptability at 5 days of interval of time. This may allow the consumers to consume whey without changing its original attributes.