Formulation of Energy Bar with Desiccated Coconut Chips and Fruit Leathers

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Date
2013
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Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Food bars have been making noise in the market place recently, posting double digit growth rates. An energy bar is a convenient, fortified snack-food containing a blend of simple and complex carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Desiccated coconut with cereals, fruits and nuts stand out as energy bar is high in nutritional value. The study was aimed to develop of multi ingredient energy bar focusing international market with broken desiccated coconut at the retail packing and consumable fruit leather wastages of CBL Natural Foods (Pvt) Ltd. The objectives of this study were to determine ratios of ingredients to obtain required calorific value, sensory characters of each treatments, shelf life analysis, proximate analysis, packaging material, package design and cost of the final product. Methodology Desiccated coconut chips and cashew were used as main sources of fat. Required level of protein obtained from green gram with soybean while fruit leather and sugar were used mainly as sources of carbohydrates. Wasted desiccated coconut chips disposed during the retail packing were collected. Cashew splits and rejected fruit leather were cut in to small pieces. Cleaned, washed green gram and soybean were blanched 3 minutes at 95 C - 100 C temperature. They were dried at 60 C and roasted. Finally they were ground separately. Sugar syrup (water 1: sugar 2) was used as a binding agent of the bar. When the sugar syrup was boiling, its thickness was increased. Then ingredient mixture was added and mixed well. After it was poured to stainless steel tray for levelled one centimetre height and cut into pieces with nearest 62g. Those were allowed to cool and packed separately in three ply aluminum coated laminated pouches. In experiment 1, ratios of ingredients were determined as their nutritional value. Desiccated coconut, cashew and fruit leather were used at two different levels. Accordingly there were eight treatment combinations in a three factor factorial design. Those eight treatments were subjected to five point hedonic scale test and the acceptability of samples was judged by 11 trained tasters through sensory evaluation. The data were analyzed by MINITAB - 15 and the final treatment combination was selected through Friedman test at 95 % confidence level. In experiment 2, shelf-life was monitored for one month period. Changes of free fatty acid, pH level, moisture, total plate count, yeast and mould count were determined. Moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrates, ash and fiber were analyzed. Level of Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and packaging material were determined. Package was designed considering the requirement of food act, No. 26 of 1980 regulation of Sri Lanka and finally, cost of the final product was calculated.
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Keywords
Agriculture, Export Agriculture, Coconut, Food Science, Biscuits, Natural Food
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