Biochemical profiling, organoleptic assessment, and functional property analysis of the health supplement

Introduction

India is a nation blessed with substantial food production capabilities, yet it continues to grapple with hunger and food insecurity issues. To address these challenges, there is a pressing need to prioritize the supply of nutritious and healthy foods to improve the country's overall nutritional status. One effective strategy involves harnessing regional crops to develop supplementary foods that can enhance the population's nutritional and fiber intake. Among these crops, roots and medicinal plants are cultivated extensively, offering immense potential when processed using methods like roasting to elevate their nutritional and functional properties. Root flours, in particular, present a sustainable option for inclusion in various diets and food products. In India, beverages made from root-based ingredients are commonly recognized as health drinks and are widely consumed by children, women, and adults for their rich nutritional benefits. These drinks not only contribute to overall health but also enhance the taste of the diet while boosting energy levels. Root-based beverages are often produced by blending root flours with other powders or flours, sometimes incorporating whole milk, milk powder, cocoa, or nuts like almonds and cashews. These health supplements focus primarily on delivering functional nutrition rather than flavor, and in India, such products are typically marketed as "health drinks," promoting overall well-being and nutrition (Kent et al. 2015) [7] . Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a perennial plant known for its high inulin content (Gupta' et al. 2003), a soluble dietary fiber that supports digestive health by acting as a prebiotic. Rich in bioactive compounds like phenolics, flavonoids, and sesquiterpene lactones, it offers antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and liver-protective benefits. Traditionally used as a coffee substitute, chicory is now incorporated into functional foods and health supplements to enhance fiber intake and promote digestive well-being. Its roots are often processed into flour or roasted for use in health-promoting formulations (Pouille et al. 2022) [8] . This study aims to incorporate chicory flour into a health supplement, developed alongside other key ingredients such as moth bean malt, cashews, almonds, jaggery, cocoa powder, and skim milk powder. These ingredients have been carefully selected to enhance the nutritional profile and functionality of the product (Aguilera, 2019) [2] , creating a balanced and health-promoting supplement. The incorporation of chicory flour, in particular, adds valuable dietary fiber and bioactive compounds, while the complementary ingredients contribute to the overall taste, texture, and nutritional value of the formulation (Wang & Cui, 2011) [17] .

Materials and Methodology 2.1 Experimental food sample

The research study was conducted using raw materials such as chicory, moth bean malt, jaggery, cashew, almond, cocoa powder and skim milk powder. The raw material was procured from the local market at Parbhani.

Roasting:

Chicory, almond, and cashew were used to enhance the flavor profile. The roasted chicory, almond and cashew individually were grinded to fine size powder. The powder was sieved through 120 mesh size. The roasted material is stored in air-tight containers for further processing.

Preparation of chicory flour

Preparation of health drink mix:

A health supplement was prepared by combining and blending the ingredients (chicory, moth bean malt, cashew and almond powder) as per the formulations. The variations in chicory flour was done by incorporating the levels of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. Firstly take chicory, moth bean malt, cashew and almond in powder form for slurry, and blend all these ingredients with water in a ratio of 1:4 to make a slurry for cooking at 80 0 C for 6 min. After cooking dry the slurry on a refractance window (RW) drying technology at 90 0 C (Raghavi et al., 2018) [9] . after drying grind the dry material and add the remaining material i.e. cocoa powder, skim milk powder and jaggery powder. The fine blended mix powder is sieved and stored in a PET bottle as a packaging material.

Reconstitution of beverage

The beverage was made by thoroughly blending 20 grams of the powdered mix into 250 ml of hot milk.

Sensory Evaluation of health supplement

A sensory evaluation of the trial formulations (T 0 , T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 ) was conducted by a panel of 10 semi-trained individuals using a 9-point hedonic scale. The health supplement was assessed for sensory attributes like colour, taste, flavour, texture, and overall acceptability. Panelists rated each parameter on a scale of 9 to 1, with 9 indicating "like extremely" and 1 signifying "dislike extremely."

Evaluation of biochemical characteristics of health supplement

The moisture and ash contents were analyzed using standard procedures. Protein content was determined by the Kjeldahl method (1976), which involved calculating nitrogen content and subsequently converting it into protein. Crude fat was extracted and quantified using the soxhlet apparatus with nhexane, following AACC guidelines (2000) [1] . Crude fiber and total carbohydrate content were assessed based on the method outlined by Ranganna (1986) [10] . The energy value of the product was calculated according to using the formula: Physiological energy = (% protein x 4) + (% carbohydrate x 4) + (% fat x 9).

Determination of functional properties of health supplement

The particle size of the sample was assessed using the sieving method, with the maximum weight retention recorded. Particle density was measured via the liquid displacement method as described by Beckett et al. (1962) [5] . Additionally, the bulk density was determined using the gravimetric method outlined by Amandikwa et al. (2015) [3] . The swelling capacity of the mix was calculated according to the procedure provided by Sowbhagya et al. (2007) [15] . The water and oil absorption capacities were evaluated using the method proposed by Sosulki et al. (1976) [14] .

Statistical analysis

The results were collected in triplicate (n = 3) and are presented as the mean±standard deviation.

Result and Discussion

Organoleptic evaluation of health supplement

The organoleptic evaluation results for the health supplement are detailed in Table 2. A comparative analysis of sensory attributes, including color, taste, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability, for the control and the four trial formulations, is also presented in Table 2. The table presents the sensory evaluation results for the control and four trial samples (T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 ) of a health beverage mix. Various organoleptic parameters such as color, appearance, taste, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability were assessed using a 9-point hedonic scale.

The control sample achieved consistently high scores across all attributes, with the highest value for texture (8.5) and an overall acceptability rating of 8.1. Among the trial combinations, T 3 demonstrated the most favorable sensory characteristics, receiving the highest scores in almost all categories, including flavor, texture, and overall acceptability, with a final overall score of 8.3. T 1 and T 2 showed moderate performance, with T 4 also performing well, especially in color and appearance. The table also includes the standard error (SE±) and the critical difference (CD) at a 5% significance level for each attribute. The SE values indicate the level of variability in the scores, with texture having a slightly higher variation compared to taste. The CD values suggest the minimum difference required between samples to be considered statistically significant. Overall, the data suggest that T 3 is the most preferred trial combination in terms of sensory attributes, closely followed by T 4 , while T 1 scored the lowest in most categories.

Biochemical characteristics of health supplement

The biochemical analysis focused on comparing the control sample with the one showing higher acceptability, T 3 . Table 3 illustrates the biochemical evaluation of both the control and the selected T 3 sample, highlighting the variations in compositional factors resulting from the inclusion of chicory in the health supplement. This comparison reveals how the addition of chicory has influenced the compositional elements, showing both decreases and increases in various biochemical components. The table provides a comparative biochemical analysis of the control and selected sample T 3 , focusing on several key parameters. The moisture content decreased from 5.82% in the control to 4.2% in T 3 , indicating a lower moisture level in the sample with chicory flour. Protein content slightly reduced from 16.32% to 15.76%, while fat content decreased from 11.7% to 11.02% similarly found with (Shree Jangra & Madan, 2018) [13] . On the other hand, carbohydrates increased from 59.88% in the control to 61.03% in T 3 , suggesting a higher carbohydrate level with the addition of chicory flour. Additionally, the ash content rose from 1.99% to 2.18%, and the crude fiber increased from 4.97% to 5.13%. These changes reflect how incorporating chicory flour affects the biochemical composition of the health supplement, leading to variations in moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrates, ash, and fiber content. The adjustments in these parameters highlight the influence of chicory flour on the nutritional profile of the supplement. The table displays the mineral content of the control sample compared to the selected sample T 3 , measured in milligrams per 100 grams. For calcium (Ca), the control sample contains 109.44 mg, while T 3 has a lower concentration of 95.82 mg. Potassium (K) is reduced from 785.26 mg in the control to 650.44 mg in T 3 . Magnesium (Mg) also decreases from 198.46 mg to 167.08 mg, and iron (Fe) falls from 7.73 mg to 6.54 mg in T 3 . Conversely, sodium (Na) increases from 21.52 mg in the control to 24.56 mg in T 3 .

Copper (Cu) content drops from 0.98 mg to 0.87 mg, phosphorus (P) decreases from 381.17 mg to 318.85 mg, and zinc (Zn) also reduces from 2.18 mg to 1.88 mg. These changes illustrate how the incorporation of chicory flour affects the mineral composition of the health supplement, leading to reductions in several minerals while increasing sodium levels.

Energy value of health supplement based on chemical composition

The total energy value (Kcal) for both the control and selected sample was calculated using theoretical methods. This involved multiplying the amounts of carbohydrates and proteins by 4, and fats by 9, as shown in Table 4. The analysis shows that although the T 3 sample has a slightly higher carbohydrate content and a marginally lower fat and protein content compared to the control, its total energy value is slightly lower. This indicates that the energy contribution from each macronutrient in T 3 results in a marginally reduced total energy compared to the control sample.

Functional analysis of health supplement

The functional properties of the health supplement, including particle size, particle density, bulk density, swelling capacity, water absorption capacity, and oil absorption capacity, were assessed and are detailed in Table 5. The table displays the functional properties of the control sample and the selected sample T 3 , including particle size, particle density, bulk density, swelling capacity, water absorption capacity, and oil absorption capacity. The particle size for the control is 160 μm, whereas T 3 has a slightly smaller particle size of 150 μm by (Swaminathan & Guha, 2018) [16] . The particle density of the control is 1.32 g/ml, while T 3 has a higher density of 1.56 g/ml. Bulk density decreases from 0.85 g/ml in the control to 0.78 g/ml in T 3 , indicating a lighter sample.

In terms of swelling capacity, the control sample has a value of 6.04%, whereas T 3 shows a higher swelling capacity of 9.15%. The water absorption capacity also increases from 125.12% in the control to 135.54% in T 3 similar findings with (Sadawarte et al., 2020) [12] , and oil absorption capacity rises from 71.98% to 76.65%. These results reflect how the selected sample T 3 exhibits different functional properties compared to the control, particularly in terms of particle characteristics and absorption capacities.

Conclusion

Adding 15% chicory flour to the health supplement significantly improved its organoleptic evaluation scores. The supplement demonstrated a strong nutritional profile, with a notable fiber content of 5.13±0.5 g. It also provided substantial amounts of essential minerals, including magnesium (167.08±2.12 mg/100 g), sodium (24.56 mg/100 g), potassium (650.44±4.51 mg/100 g), and phosphorus (318.85±3.54 mg/100 g). Furthermore, the functional properties of the supplement were enhanced, particularly in terms of water and oil absorption capacities. The preparation of the health supplement is straightforward, requiring only mixing the powder with water or milk. The successful incorporation of chicory flour has led to a product with improved nutritional and fiber profiles and enhanced functional characteristics. Consequently, it can be concluded that the chicory-based health supplement offers significant benefits to consumers dietary intake and contributes positively to product acceptability.

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