MSc

A study on the 'Feasibility of formulating Ready-
to-Eat products based on Cassava’ was conducted with major
objective to utilise the major root crop cassava for the
preparation of Ready-to-Eat product. The study comprised of
standardisation of basic product Vermicelli; preparation of
sweet vermicelli and savoury vermicelli; determination of
quality of product through organoleptic quality studies and
preference tests; assessing the nutritional significance as
well as physiological tolerance of the developed food product
and package and shelf-life studies.
The basic product vermicelli was formulated with cassava flour as the basic ingredient. Twelve combinations were tried with different proportions of cassava flour. The other ingredients added to cassava flour were maida, soy flour, rice flour and milk powder. The milk powder. The selection of the best combination was based on extrusion behaviour. Nutritional adequacy and cost benefit ratio. A combination with cassava flour 40%, maida 30%, Soy flour 20% and sugar/salt 10% was selected as the ideal combination since it secured higher score for extrusion behaviour than other combinations. The amino acid score and cost of the combination was also found to be satisfactory.


Savoury Vermicelli was prepared by the addition of
salt and seasonings and sweet vermicelli by the addition of



sugar during processing.



Cooking characteristics of



developed products such as cooking time, bulk density and
water absorption index were rated as good.
The nutritional composition of the food product
revealed that the product contained all the nutrients in
optimum quantity. The nutritional quality of the developed
food product before and after processing with reference to
proteins, calcium, magnesium and calories were determined
through suitable laboratory techniques and result showed that
there was some amount of loss during processing.
Regarding the physiological tolerance, the
developed food product exhibited a Protein Efficiency Ratio
(PER) of 2.2 to 2.4 indicating that the quality of protein is



good.


The


other


quality





parameters


such as Biological

value (BV)


Digestability


co-efficient (DC)


and


Net



protein Utilisation (NPU) of the product were also found to
be satisfactory.

Organoleptic and preference studies of the
developed food product was assessed by three groups of
consumers viz. experts, housewives and old people. The
parameters tested under organoleptic studies were appearance,



flavour, taste, texture and colour.


The analysis revealed



that both the sweet and savoury vermicelli got highest



scores.


There was no significant


difference between these



two preparations except for taste.


Sweet vermicelli had



a


slightly


higher


mean score, compared to savoury



vermicelli.
Effect of storage on moisture, peroxide and total
sugar content revealed that there was an increase in all the
three parameters during the six months storage period. The
increase in moisture over months was statistically different.
Eventhough the products showed an increase in total sugar and
peroxide content, over the period, the increase observed was
not significant statistically. Observation on insect
infestation revealed that there was no insect infestation up
to six months of storage period.


As future line of work, the results of the present
study suggest the development of proper food processing
technology in order to equip the rural people, particularly
the women folk for an income generating activity and building
up a healthy rural population.