Nutritional value and organoleptic evaluation of mushroom powder fortified Indian recipe: Besan laddu.
Mushroom one of natures greatest wonder foods has already found its place of pride in the kitchens of the educated and the elite all over the world. In India it is yet to be commonly used by all and sundry in everyday meals. Mushrooms are highly nutritive, low calorie food with good quality protein, vitamins and minerals which are of paramount importance in the present age. Mushrooms are an important natural source of foods and medicines. A wide range of activities including antitumour, cardio vascular are reported in mushrooms. Because of having high fibre, low fat and low starch, edible mushrooms have been considered to be ideal food for obese persons and for diabetics. They are also known to possess promising, cardio vascular, hypercholesterolemia, antimicrobial, hepato protective and anticancer effects. Biochemical analysis of prepared product revealed that T 4 (20% mushroom (oyster mushroom) fortified laddus contained high amount of protein and fibre, low fat and carbohydrate than control sample and organoleptic evaluation of prepared laddus revealed that T 3 (15% fortification of mushroom powder in besan laddus was liked very much. The fortified laddus had better quality with respect to nutritive value and organoleptic acceptability.