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Research article · 2025 · Full text

International Journal of Agriculture and Food Science

Studies on preparation of paneer impregnated with dragon fruit

Pratiksha R KarnalkarDnyaneshwar D PatangeBhushan B ChaudhariSamiksha S AwhaleShivani N Bikkad

Volume 7(9) · Pages 614–621 · DOI: 10.33545/2664844x.2025.v7.i9h.800 ↗

Research areasAviation Industry Analysis and TrendsAir Traffic Management and OptimizationInternational Law and Aviation

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Abstract

Author-written

Paneer, though nutritionally rich, lacks functional compounds such as fibre, phenolics, flavonoids, and vitamins. This study aimed to enhance paneer quality by incorporating dragon fruit. Preliminary trials identified paste from the white-fleshed, pink-skinned variety as most suitable. Incorporation at 15% produced the most acceptable paneer, comparable to control in sensory scores. The optimized paneer contained 20.89% fat, 18.91% protein, 59.09% moisture, and pH 5.48, with improved vitamin C (15.0 mg/100 g), phenolics (0.49 mg GAE/g), flavonoids (0.17 mg QE/g), and dietary fibre (2.82%). Colour analysis showed enhanced red-purple tones, while texture profiling revealed reduced hardness and improved cohesiveness and springiness. Production cost decreased to ₹303.40/kg with higher recovery and benefit-cost ratio. Microbiological analysis confirmed safety. Overall, 15% dragon fruit paste significantly improved nutritional, functional, sensory, and economic qualities, making paneer a promising functional dairy product.

Summary

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Plain-language reading of the full paper, prepared with AI and checked against the text. Each point links to the authors' own words.

  1. Why it matters

    • While paneer is nutritionally rich, it is deficient in functional compounds like vitamins, flavonoids, phenolics, and fiber. View evidence ↗

      Why it matters

      While paneer is nutritionally rich, it is deficient in functional compounds like vitamins, flavonoids, phenolics, and fiber.

      In the paper's own words

      “Paneer, though nutritionally rich, lacks functional compounds such as fibre, phenolics, flavonoids, and vitamins.”

      Page 1

      Found in: Effect of levels of dragon fruit on microbial count of paneer:

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
    • Incorporating dragon fruit is proposed as a method to enhance the overall quality of paneer. View evidence ↗

      Why it matters

      Incorporating dragon fruit is proposed as a method to enhance the overall quality of paneer.

      In the paper's own words

      “This study aimed to enhance paneer quality by incorporating dragon fruit.”

      Page 1

      Found in: Materials

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
  2. The question

    • The research aimed to determine how the addition of dragon fruit affects the quality of paneer. View evidence ↗

      The question

      The research aimed to determine how the addition of dragon fruit affects the quality of paneer.

      In the paper's own words

      “This study aimed to enhance paneer quality by incorporating dragon fruit.”

      Page 1

      Found in: Materials

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
  3. What they did

    • The study used three varieties of ripened dragon fruit: red-fleshed, white-fleshed, and yellow-skinned white-fleshed. View evidence ↗

      What they did

      The study used three varieties of ripened dragon fruit: red-fleshed, white-fleshed, and yellow-skinned white-fleshed.

      In the paper's own words

      “Fully ripened dragon fruits of three varieties—white-fleshed (Hylocereus undatus), red-fleshed (H. costaricensis), and yellow-skinned white-fleshed (H. megalanthus) were obtained from the local market.”

      Page 1

      Found in: Materials

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 1 ↗
    • Researchers tested different forms of dragon fruit, including powder, aqueous extract, and paste, against a control group. View evidence ↗

      What they did

      Researchers tested different forms of dragon fruit, including powder, aqueous extract, and paste, against a control group.

      In the paper's own words

      “Treatments were coded as: DF0 – control (no dragon fruit), DF1 – paste, DF2 – aqueous extract, and DF3 – powder.”

      Page 2

      Found in: Selection of Dragon Fruit Forms

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 2 ↗
  4. What they found

    • Dragon fruit paste was found to be the most suitable form for incorporation, as it maintained sensory scores closer to the control than powder or aqueous extract. View evidence ↗

      What they found

      Dragon fruit paste was found to be the most suitable form for incorporation, as it maintained sensory scores closer to the control than powder or aqueous extract.

      In the paper's own words

      “Paneer prepared with dragon fruit paste showed superior colour, texture, and flavour scores, closely matching the control, whereas aqueous extract and powder forms resulted in lower values”

      Page 3

      Found in: Effect of Form of Whole Dragon Fruit on Sensory Attributes of Paneer

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 3 ↗
    • The white-fleshed, pink-skinned variety of dragon fruit was identified as the best variety for improving the color, flavor, and acceptability of paneer. View evidence ↗

      What they found

      The white-fleshed, pink-skinned variety of dragon fruit was identified as the best variety for improving the color, flavor, and acceptability of paneer.

      In the paper's own words

      “DV₁ (pink skin with white flesh) emerged as the most suitable variety for paneer fortification, offering superior colour, flavour, and overall acceptability compared to DV₂ and DV₃”

      Page 3

      Found in: Effect of Form of Whole Dragon Fruit on Sensory Attributes of Paneer

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 3 ↗
    • The optimal level of dragon fruit paste for maximum overall sensory acceptability was 15%. View evidence ↗

      What they found

      The optimal level of dragon fruit paste for maximum overall sensory acceptability was 15%.

      In the paper's own words

      “Overall acceptability was maximal at 15%, indicating harmonious integration of sensory attributes”

      Page 3

      Found in: Effect of Form of Whole Dragon Fruit on Sensory Attributes of Paneer

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 3 ↗
    • Higher levels of dragon fruit reduced the lightness of the paneer (from 78.06 to 71.14) while increasing redness (4.78 to 6.82) and yellowness (8.83 to 11.27). View evidence ↗

      What they found

      Higher levels of dragon fruit reduced the lightness of the paneer (from 78.06 to 71.14) while increasing redness (4.78 to 6.82) and yellowness (8.83 to 11.27).

      In the paper's own words

      “Lightness (L*) decreased from 78.06 in DL₁ to 71.14 in DL₄ due to betacyanin accumulation”

      Page 4

      “Redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) increased from 4.78 to 6.82 and 8.83 to 11.27, respectively”

      Page 4

      Found in: Effect of levels of dragon fruit on instrumental colour value parameter of paneer:

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 4 ↗
    • Adding more dragon fruit reduced paneer hardness (5.47 to 2.18 kg) but increased its cohesiveness (0.48 to 1.20) and elasticity (1.03 to 1.22 cm). View evidence ↗

      What they found

      Adding more dragon fruit reduced paneer hardness (5.47 to 2.18 kg) but increased its cohesiveness (0.48 to 1.20) and elasticity (1.03 to 1.22 cm).

      In the paper's own words

      “Hardness decreased from 5.47 in DL₁ to 2.18 in DL₄”

      Page 4

      “Cohesiveness increased from 0.48 to 1.20”

      Page 5

      “Elasticity rose from 1.03 cm to 1.22 cm”

      Page 5

      Found in: Effect of levels of dragon fruit on textural properies of paneer:

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 4 ↗
    • Frying dragon fruit-incorporated paneer resulted in the highest overall consumer preference (score of 8.21). View evidence ↗

      What they found

      Frying dragon fruit-incorporated paneer resulted in the highest overall consumer preference (score of 8.21).

      In the paper's own words

      “Overall acceptability peaked in F₄ (8.21), showing that frying combined with dragon fruit incorporation optimally enhanced consumer preference”

      Page 5

      Found in: Effect of levels of dragon fruit on microbial count of paneer:

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 5 ↗
  5. What it means

    • The authors conclude that adding 15% white-fleshed, pink-skinned dragon fruit paste creates a superior paneer product. View evidence ↗

      What it means

      The authors conclude that adding 15% white-fleshed, pink-skinned dragon fruit paste creates a superior paneer product.

      In the paper's own words

      “The study concluded that the incorporation of 15 percent white-fleshed, pink-skinned dragon fruit paste in milk produced superior paneer.”

      Page 6

      Found in: Materials

      Read it in the full textOpen PDF at page 6 ↗

Figures & tables

From the original paper
Effect of form of whole dragon fruit on sensory attributes of paneerTable 1Page 3Effect of variety of dragon fruit on sensory attributes of paneer:Table 2Page 3Effect of level of whole dragon fruit on sensory attributes of paneerTable 3Page 3Effect of levels of dragon fruit on physico- chemical attributes of paneerTable 4Page 4Effect of levels of dragon fruit on functional properties of paneerTable 5Page 4Effect of different levels of whole dragon fruit on colour value of paneerTable 6Page 4Effect of different levels of whole dragon fruit on textural properties of paneerTable 7Page 5Effect of levels of dragon fruit on microbial count of paneerTable 8Page 5Effect of frying on paneer with and without dragon fruitTable 9Page 5Comparative Evaluation of Control and Optimized Paneer Sample.Table 10Page 6Cost of production of 500 kg whole dragon fruit impregnated paneer:Table 11Page 6
FULL TEXT Original article · reflowed for reading

Introduction

Introduction

Material and Methods

Material and Methods

Materials

Standardized, toned, double-toned, and skimmed milk were procured from the local dairy cooperative. Fully ripened dragon fruits of three varieties-white-fleshed (Hylocereus undatus), red-fleshed (H. costaricensis), and yellow-skinned white-fleshed (H. megalanthus) were obtained from the local market. Food-grade citric acid was used for coagulation, and refined cottonseed oil was used for frying. Muslin cloth and a stainless-steel paneer press were employed for whey drainage and block formation. Essential laboratory equipment included stainless-steel vessels, glassware, digital weighing balance, hot air oven, muffle furnace, texture analyzer, pH meter, and colour analyzer. A hand blender and mixer-grinder were used for homogenization and fruit paste preparation. For frying, a heavy-bottomed stainless-steel kadhai, skimmer, and fine mesh strainer were used. All equipment was cleaned and sterilized, and hygienic conditions were maintained throughout the study.

Methodology Preparation of different forms of dragon fruit

The aqueous form was prepared by washing, despiking, and crushing fresh dragon fruits with potable water (1:2 w/v) as per Khairnar (2024) [19] . The paste was obtained by washing, despiking, and grinding whole fruits into a fine homogenate following Susanti et al. (2022) [34] . The powder form was prepared by washing, despiking, grating, oven-drying at 65 °C, and grinding the fruit into fine powder, as described by Patel (2022) [25] . paneer was cut into 1 cm³ cubes, packed in polythene pouches, and stored at 5±1 °C for analysis.

Selection of Dragon Fruit Forms

To evaluate suitability, the white-fleshed and pink skin variety was incorporated in milk in different forms. Treatments were coded as: DF0 -control (no dragon fruit), DF 1 -paste, DF 2 -aqueous extract, and DF 3 -powder.

Selection of Dragon Fruit Varieties

After finalizing the form, dragon fruit was incorporated at 10% level to evaluate different varieties. Treatments were coded as: DV₀ -control, DV₁ -white-fleshed, DV₂ -redfleshed, and DV₃ -yellow-skinned white-fleshed. The best variety was selected based on sensory evaluation.

Optimization of Dragon Fruit Level in Paneer

The selected form and variety of dragon fruit were incorporated at different levels to assess their effect on paneer quality. Treatments included DL₀ (control), DL₁ (5%), DL₂ (10%), DL₃ (15%), and DL₄ (20%) dragon fruit paste.

Samples were evaluated for sensory, physicochemical, colour, textural, and microbial attributes, and the optimal level was identified based on sensory acceptability.

Frying Study of Dragon Fruit Paneer

Paneer cubes (1.5 × 1.5 × 1.5 cm) were prepared following Kalab et al. (1988) [18] and fried in refined oil at 175±5 °C for 5 min, ensuring uniform texture and colour development (Sharma et al., 1998) [30] . Excess oil was drained before evaluation. Treatments included F₁ (raw control), F₂ (fried control), F₃ (raw dragon fruit paneer), and F₄ (fried dragon fruit paneer). Both raw and fried samples were subjected to sensory evaluation.

Analytical Methods

Analytical Methods

Physico-chemical analysis of dragon fruit incorporated paneer:

The pH was measured using a calibrated digital pH meter (AOAC, 2012) [2] , and titratable acidity was determined by titration with 0.1 N NaOH using phenolphthalein as indicator (BIS: 1479, 1960, Part-I). Fat content was estimated by acid digestion and Mojonnier extraction (FSSAI, 2022) [11] , protein by Kjeldahl method with nitrogen-to-protein factor 6.38 (AOAC, 2012) [2] , and total carbohydrates by Lane-Eynon's method after reducing sugar extraction (IS: 1479 Part-II, 1961). Moisture was determined by oven drying at 102 ±1°C until constant weight (AOAC, 2003) [1] , ash by incineration in a muffle furnace at 550 °C (AOAC, 2012) [1] , and total solids were calculated as 100 -moisture (FSSAI, 2022) [11] .

Determination of functional properties of dragon fruit incorporated paneer:

Total phenolic content was measured by Folin-Ciocalteu method and expressed as μg GAE/mL (Kähkönen et al., 1999) [17] . Total flavonoid content was determined by aluminum chloride colorimetric method and expressed as mg QE/g (Jia et al., 1999) [16] . Dietary fiber was estimated by enzymatic-gravimetric method with sequential digestion, ethanol precipitation, and ashing (AOAC, 2012) [2] . Ascorbic acid was determined by titration with 2, 6dichlorophenolindophenol after extraction with 3% metaphosphoric acid (Ranganna, 1986) [28] .

Instrumental Hunter colour analysis of dragon fruit incorporated paneer: Colour measurements were performed using a Colour Scanning Machine (Color Flex EZ, Premier Colourscan, Thane, Maharashtra) based on the CIELAB scale with D65 illuminant. The instrument recorded L* (lightness), a* (red-green), and b* (yellowblue) values after calibration with standard white and black tiles. Hue, representing the specific shade; chroma, indicating colour intensity; and energy index, reflecting overall colour vividness, were calculated according to CIE standard Illuminate (ISO 1164-2:2007, 2006).

Texture profile analysis of dragon fruit incorporated paneer:

The texture of paneer samples was evaluated using the Stable Micro Systems TAXT2 Plus Texture Analyzer. Uniform paneer cubes (20 × 20 × 20 mm) were analyzed using a P/75 stainless steel compression plate under standardized conditions (50 kg load cell, 5 g trigger force, 10 mm/s return speed, 600 mm/min crosshead speed).

Textural parameters-including hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and gumminesswere determined from the two-cycle compression test simulating mastication (Stable Micro Systems, 2009).

Microbial analysis of dragon fruit incorporated paneer:

Dragon fruit paneer was analyzed for Standard Plate Count (SPC) using Plate Count Agar (HiMedia, Mumbai; IS: 5402, 1969), coliform count using Violet Red Bile Agar (HiMedia, Mumbai; IS: 5887, 1976), and yeast and mold count using Potato Dextrose Agar (HiMedia, Mumbai; IS: 5401, 1969).

Comparative evaluation of control and optimized paneer: Control and 15% dragon fruit incorporated paneer were compared for sensory, physico-chemical, and textural properties to assess the impact of dragon fruit addition and identify the most acceptable formulation.

Cost of production:

The cost was calculated using current market prices of dragon fruit paste, milk, additives, fuel, and packaging, summing all expenses to estimate total production.

Statistical analysis: Data were analyzed using CRD and FCRD with four replicates, and one-and two-way ANOVA was performed to determine significant differences among means (Panse and Sukhatme, 1985) [24] .

Results and discussion

Results and discussion

Effect of Form of Whole Dragon Fruit on Sensory Attributes of Paneer

Paneer prepared with dragon fruit paste showed superior colour, texture, and flavour scores, closely matching the control, whereas aqueous extract and powder forms resulted in lower values due to pigment degradation, softer or gritty texture, and reduced flavour, findings consistent with Yankey et al. (2023) [40] , Sameem et al. (2018) [29] and Susanti et al. (2022) [34] . Overall acceptability was highest in control and paste-incorporated paneer, while aqueous extract and powder forms were significantly less acceptable, in agreement with Ojha et al. (2022) [23] . [20,35,38] . Optimization of Dragon Fruit Level in Paneer on sensory attributes: Paneer prepared with varying levels of dragon fruit showed that colour and appearance improved with increasing fruit levels, peaking at 15% due to optimal pigment saturation and homogeneous dispersion, while 20% addition reduced visual appeal, consistent with Sameem et al. 2018 [29] . Body and texture were highest at 15%, likely from balanced pectin-protein interactions and uniform moisture distribution, whereas lower firmness at 5% and structural disruption at 20% reduced scores, aligning with [15,39,41] . Flavour increased progressively, peaking at 15% and remaining high at 20%, reflecting a balance between sweetness and aromatic compounds, corroborating Susanti et al. 2022 [34] . Overall acceptability was maximal at 15%, indicating harmonious integration of sensory attributes, while minimal and excessive inclusion reduced acceptability, consistent with Tarte et al. 2023 [35] and Tong et al. 2025 [37] [26] . Protein content showed a slight decrease, reflecting minimal influence of dragon fruit on casein coagulation, in agreement with. Carbohydrate content increased with higher fruit levels, indicating additional sugars contributed by the fruit, consistent with Singh et al. 2022 [32] , while moisture content rose due to the high waterholding capacity of dragon fruit, corroborating Raibagkar et al. 2024 [27] . Ash content increased with fruit incorporation owing to its mineral richness, as reported by Lim et al. 2024 [21] , whereas total solids decreased correspondingly due to dilution from higher moisture, in agreement with Roy et al. Titratable acidity increased progressively with fruit addition because of natural organic acids, consistent with Bhagat et al. 2024 [5] , and pH decreased correspondingly, reflecting acidification of the paneer matrix, as reported by Chavan et al. 2025 [7] .

Effect of levels of dragon fruit on functional properties of paneer:

The incorporation of dragon fruit into paneer significantly enhanced its functional properties (Table 5). Total phenolic content increased from 0.24 mg GAE/g in DL 1 to 0.49 mg GAE/g in DL 4 , reflecting improved phenolic extraction, consistent with Coelho et al. (2024) [8] Total flavonoid content rose to 0.17 mg QE/g in DL 4 , indicating effective integration of bioactive compounds into the protein matrix, in agreement with Lim et al. (2024.)Vitamin C content increased from 10.2 mg to 15.0 mg, highlighting the fruit's antioxidant contribution, consistent with Bhagat et al. (2024) [5] . Dietary fiber increased from 1.88% to 2.82%, improving water retention, texture, and functional benefits, corroborating Chavan et al. (2025) [7] . These findings demonstrate that dragon fruit fortification markedly enhances the antioxidant, nutritional, and functional quality of paneer.

Table 5. Effect of levels of dragon fruit on functional properties of paneer
Level of Dragon fruitFunctional content———
Phenols(mgGAE/g)Flavonoids(mgQE/g)Vit c (mg/ml)Fiber (%)
DL10.24c±0.010.04b±0.0110.2d±0.11.88d±0.01
DL20.37b±0.020.08b±012.2c±0.22.00c±0.01
DL30.47a±0.010.13a±0.0113.2b±0.32.56b±0.01
DL40.49a±0.010.17a±0.0115.0a±0.12.82a±0.03
SEm0.010.010.060.02
CD0.050.030.680.06

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Effect of levels of dragon fruit on instrumental colour value parameter of paneer:

The instrumental colour of paneer was significantly influenced by graded dragon fruit incorporation (Table 6). Lightness (L*) decreased from 78.06 in DL₁ to 71. 14 [33,22] . Chroma rose from 8.98 to 11.43, indicating greater colour saturation, in agreement with. Hue angle slightly declined from 78.28 to 79.14, while colour index peaked at DL₂ before decreasing, suggesting an optimal pigment incorporation threshold. These results demonstrate that dragon fruit addition enhances redness and saturation while modulating lightness and hue.

Table 6. Effect of different levels of whole dragon fruit on colour value of paneer
Level of Dragon fruitColour characteristics—————
L*a*b*Chroma valueHue valueColor Index
DL178.06a±0.041.83d±0.028.83d±0.038.98d±0.0278.28c±0.62.66c±0.03
DL276.28b±0.021.97c±0.019.18c±0.019.29c±0.0277.87d±0.32.81a±0.03
DL374.05c±0.042.04b±0.0210.12b±0.0410.19b±0.578.54b±0.42.72ba±0.05
DL471.14d±0.052.16a±0.0211.27a±0.0211.43a±0.279.14a±0.32.1d±0.05
SEm0.040.020.040.040.050.04
CD0.130.060.110.190.160.15

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Effect of levels of dragon fruit on textural properies of paneer:

The textural attributes of paneer were significantly influenced by graded incorporation of dragon fruit (Table 7). Hardness decreased from 5.47 in DL₁ to 2.18 in DL₄ due to higher moisture and fiber content disrupting the protein matrix, consistent with Wusigale et al., 2020. Cohesiveness increased from 0.48 to 1.20, reflecting reinforcement of the protein-polysaccharide network by dragon fruit polysaccharides (Thakur and Saxena, 2000) [36] . Elasticity rose from 1.03 cm to 1.22 cm, indicating enhanced resilience likely due to interactions between milk proteins and soluble fibers (Singh et al., 2020; Kalab et al., 1988) [31,18] . Gumminess peaked at DL₃ (3.39 kg/N) and declined at DL₄, showing optimal matrix integrity at moderate fruit levels (Hosseini et al., 2015) [14] . Chewiness followed a similar trend, reaching 3.91 kg•cm at DL₃ and slightly decreasing at DL₄, reflecting the balance between hardness, cohesiveness, and elasticity, which aligns with observations in fiberenriched burfi (Singh et al., 2020) [31] . Overall, moderate incorporation of dragon fruit improved textural resilience and mouthfeel, while excessive addition softened the paneer and reduced structural integrity.

Table 7. Effect of different levels of whole dragon fruit on textural properties of paneer
Level of Dragon FruitTextural Properties————
Hardiness (kg)CohisivenessElasticity (cm)Guminess s(Kg/N)Chewiness (Kg-cm)
DL15.47a±0.010.48d±0.011.03d±0.022.61bc±0.052.69c±0.08
DL24.83b±0.020.58c±0.011.07c±0.012.80b±0.043.00b±0.05
DL34.11c±0.020.83b±0.011.16b±0.013.39a±0.043.91a±0.05
DL42.18d±0.031.20a±0.021.22a±0.012.61bc±0.063.09b±0.10
SEm0.020.010.010.070.08
CD0.080.050.050.190.28

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Effect of levels of dragon fruit on microbial count of paneer:

The microbiological evaluation of dragon fruit-incorporated paneer (Table 8) revealed a slight, yet statistically significant (p<0.05) increase in yeast and mould counts from 1.05 to 1.12 log CFU/g with progressive fruit incorporation (DL₁-DL₄), while coliforms were absent in all treatments, confirming adherence to hygienic standards. Total viable bacterial counts increased modestly from 3.14 × 10³ CFU/g in DL₁ to 3.35 × 10³ CFU/g in DL₄ but remained below spoilage thresholds, indicating minimal impact on shelf life under refrigerated conditions. The rise in microbial load may be attributed to the additional organic substrates provided by dragon fruit, whereas the betalain pigments likely exerted antimicrobial effects, limiting the proliferation of spoilage or pathogenic organisms (Manihuruk et al., 2017; Bhagat et al., 2024) [22,5] . These results demonstrate that dragon fruit incorporation maintains the microbiological safety and stability of paneer while providing bioactive benefits. [10,30,12] . Body and texture improved in F₄ (8.20) [9,12] . Overall acceptability peaked in F₄ (8.21), showing that frying combined with dragon fruit incorporation optimally enhanced consumer preference (Singh et al., 2022) [32] . The optimized dragon fruit-incorporated paneer exhibited significant improvements in sensory, physicochemical, functional, and textural attributes. Colour and appearance were slightly reduced, whereas flavour and overall acceptability increased significantly (p<0.05), likely due to the mild fruity and sweet notes imparted by dragon fruit. Moisture content increased, accompanied by a reduction in total solids and fat, while protein, carbohydrate, ash, and acidity showed notable enhancement. Functional constituents including phenolic content, flavonoids, dietary fibre, and vitamin C were markedly elevated, indicating improved nutritional value. Textural properties revealed decreased hardness with concomitant increases in cohesiveness, elasticity, and gumminess, while chewiness exhibited a non-significant rise. These findings collectively indicate that dragon fruit incorporation positively influenced the quality, nutritional profile, and consumer acceptability of paneer.

Table 8. Effect of levels of dragon fruit on microbial count of paneer
Level of Dragon FruitMicrobial count——
Yeast And Mould Count (CFU/gm)Coliform Count (CFU/gm)Standard Plate Count (CFU×103/gm)
DL11.05b±0.01N.D.3.14d ±0.01
DL21.08a±0.01N.D.3.21c±0.01
DL31.1b±0.01N.D.3.27b±0.01
DL41.12a±0.0N.D.3.35a±0.02
SEm0.010.00.02
CD0.030.00.05

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Cost of production of whole dragon fruit impregnated paneer

A comparative economic evaluation of control (DL₀) and dragon fruit-incorporated (DL₃) paneer showed that both treatments produced a yield of 500 kg. The DL₃ treatment required less milk, 2173 L compared to 2947 L for DL₀, resulting in a higher recovery percentage of 23 % versus 17 %. The total production cost was lower in DL₃ at ₹151,700 compared to ₹172,239 in DL₀, leading to a reduced cost per

Acknowledgement

International Journal of Agriculture and Food Science https://www.agriculturaljournals.com GAE per gram, flavonoids 0.13 mg QE per gram, dietary fibre 2.56 percent, and vitamin C 13.2 mg per 100 grams, while maintaining microbial counts within acceptable limits.

Figures and tables from the paper

Table 1. Effect of form of whole dragon fruit on sensory attributes of paneer
Form of dragon fruitSensory Properties———
Colour and appearanceBody and textureFlavourOverall acceptability
DF08.14a±0.038.22a±0.048.21a±0.058.19a±0.02
DF17.78b±0.077.86b±0.058.11a±0.067.91b±0.05
DF25.28d±0.087.30c±0.087.65b±0.056.74c±0.06
DF35.65c±0.065.49d±0.067.01c±0.046.05d±0.02
SEm0.070.070.060.05
CD0.240.230.200.15

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Table 2. Effect of variety of dragon fruit on sensory attributes of paneer:
Variety of dragon fruitSensory Properties———
Colour and appearanceBody and textureFlavourOverall acceptability
DV17.74a±0.067.93a±0.028.13a±0.087.94a±0.05
DV25.28c±0.087.94a±0.037.65b±0.066.95b±0.04
DV35.72b±0.097.91a±0.025.60c±0.046.86b±0.05
SEm0.080.060.060.04
CD0.30NS0.240.18

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Table 3. Effect of level of whole dragon fruit on sensory attributes of paneer
Dragon fruit levelSensory Properties (Score*)———
ColorBody and textureFlavorOverall acceptability
DL17.13c±0.057.09c±0.037.01d±0.097.08d±0.04
DL27.54b±0.077.34b±0.057.28c±0.027.25c±0.03
DL38.19a±0.028.22a±0.048.35a±0.028.36a±0.01
DL47.10c±0.096.88d±0.118.20a±0.067.39b±0.03
SEm0.070.040.070.04
CD0.230.230.190.11

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Table 4. Effect of levels of dragon fruit on physico- chemical attributes of paneer
Level of Dragon FruitPhysico- chemical attributes———————
Fat (%)Protein (%)Moisture (%)Carbohydrate (%)Ash (%)Total Solid (%)Acidity (%)pH
DF124.09a±0.0118.45ac±0.0960.48d±0.061.75d±0.021.52c±0.0139.5a±0.060.37d±0.015.69a±0.04
DF223.12b±0.0118.38abc±0.0361.20c±0.032.30c±0.021.55bc±0.0138.8b±0.030.45c±0.015.59b±0.01
DF322.18c±0.0118.22ab±0.0162.00b±0.032.85b±0.031.60b±0.0138.0c±0.030.49b±0.015.51c±0.01
DF421.13d±0.0118.09a±0.0262.96a±0.023.40a±0.021.66a±0.0137.0d±0.040.56a±0.015.43d±0.02
SEm0.010.060.050.020.010.050.010.02
CD0.040.200.140.090.040.200.030.08

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Table 9. Effect of frying on paneer with and without dragon fruit
Paneer SamplesSensory Properties(Score)*———
Colour and appearanceBody and textureFlavourOverall acceptability
F18.03a±0.057.89b±0.038.01b±0.037.98b±0.02
F28.19a±0.038.11a±0.048.22a±0.048.17a±0.03
F37.61b±0.057.66c±0.077.65c±0.047.63c±0.04
F48.12a±0.038.20a±0.088.31a±0.058.21a±0.04
SEm0.050.070.050.03
CD0.160.220.160.13

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Table 10. Comparative Evaluation of Control and Optimized Paneer Sample.
Sensory attributes———Control Sample—Optimized Sample—t- static
SrParticularQuantityRate(Rs)Control paneer sampleOptimized Paneer sample
Quantity₹Quantity₹
1Colour and appearance8.49±0.038.19±0.028.32*
2Body and texture8.22±0.048.22±0.040.00
3Flavour7.78±0.078.35±0.027.83
4Overall acceptability8.06±0.058.36±0.015.88
Physico-chemical attributes
1Fat25.01±0.0122.18±0.01200.11
2Protein18.01±0.0318.38±0.0111.70
3Carbohydrate1.50±.0.022.85±0.0337.44
4Moisture59.95±0.0462.00±0.0341.00
5Total solid40.0±0.0438.0±0.0340.00
6Ash1.46±0.021.60±0.016.26
7Acidity0.32±0.010.49±0.0117.00*
8pH5.85±0.015.51±0.0124.04
Functional properties
1Phenols0.01±0.000.47±0.0179.67
2Flavonoids0.05±0.030.13±0.014.38
3Dietary Fiber0.74±0.022.56±0.0181.39
4Vitamin C0.05±0.0313.2±0.03309.95
Textural properties
1Hardness6.84±0.024.11±0.0296.52
2Cohisiveness0.34±0.010.83±0.0134.65
3Elasticity0.92±0.011.16±0.0116.97
4Guminess2.34±0.093.39±0.0410.66
5Chewiness2.14±0.063.19±0.051.44

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Table 11. Cost of production of 500 kg whole dragon fruit impregnated paneer:
SrParticularQuantityRate (Rs)Control paneer sample—Optimized Paneer sample—
Quantity₹Quantity₹
1Standardized Milk1litre502947 lit1473502173 lit106850
2Dragon Fruit1kg100--300 kg30000
3Citric Acid1kg9641.67 gm400030gm2850
4Packaging/1kg4-2000-2000
5Fuel charges/litre milk5-18889-10000
7Total cost of product500kg172239500kg151700
8Cost of 1 kg---344.47-303.4
9Selling price---480-500
10BC ratio---1.39-1.64

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