Formulation and Standardization of Gujarati Snack (KHAKHRA) Fortified with Whole Unripe Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) Powder

The present investigation, entitled “Formulation and standardization of Gujarati snack (khakhra) fortified with whole unripe pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) powder” was conducted in the Department of Food Technology, Parul University. The goal of this study was to develop khakhra fortified with whole unripe pumpkin powder. The khakhra was prepared using oats, maize and wheat flour along with developed pumpkin powder. The black pepper, cumin and carom seed powder were used as seasoning. The developed product was examined for various physicochemical attributes, including storage stability and the FT-IR procedure for the identification of functional groups which signify various bioactive compounds. The nutritional composition of khakhra obtained showed the presence of protein, fat, carbohydrates, refibre calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc content as 10.83 per cent, 13.86 per cent, 69.95 per cent, 5.34 per cent, 10.83 mg/100g, 182.65 mg/100g, 5.27 mg/100g and 2.49 mg/100g respectively. The developed khakhra was packed in polyethene and stored for 3 months under refrigeration conditions (4oC) and ambient conditions (18-38oC) storage studies.