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Both pressure cooking and solar cooking significantly reduced the phytic acid and polyphenol content of cowpea cultivars. A significantly greater reduction in the content of both these antinutrients was noticed during pressure and solar cooking of soaked cowpeas compared to unsoaked seeds. The percentage reduction increased when the soaked cowpeas were dehulled and then cooked by both pressure and solar cooking. The results of the study reveal that solar cooking was more effective than pressure cooking in reducing the concentrations of phytic acid and polyphenols in cowpeas. The cumulative effect of soaking and dehulling, followed by solar cooking, was the removal of most of the polyphenols (88‐94 per cent). Such practices should be encouraged at the home level for the preparation of cowpea seeds.

Amaranth leaves which are an excellent source of calcium, iron, β‐carotene and protein, grow as a weed during the rainy season in Haryana State. This study aims to incorporate nutrient dense dried amaranth leaves powder in products commonly consumed in Haryana State, India.

Fresh amaranth leaves were dried at 50 ± 5 ^○C. The products like biscuits, mathi, matar and sev commonly consumed in Haryana State, were prepared using 5 per cent dried amaranth leaf powder. Amaranth leaf powder was not added in the products which served as control. The nutrient composition of the prepared products was analysed. The nutrient composition of control and supplemented products was compared.

The supplemented products like biscuit, mathi, matar and sev had significantly higher protein, fat, ash and fibre contents as compared to their control. The total soluble sugar, reducing sugar and non reducing sugar content of supplemented biscuit was significantly higher than control biscuit. The phytic acid and tannin content significantly increased and in vitro protein and starch digestibility significantly decreased in all the supplemented products as compared to their respective controls. Supplemented biscuit had about one and a half times higher Ca and supplemented mathi and matar had double the amount of Ca than their respective controls. The increase in Mg, Fe and Zn content in all the supplemented products was significant.

Amaranth leaves are abundantly available during the rainy season, and can be successfully incorporated in commonly consumed food products without adding any extra cost.

Amaranth leaf powder supplemented products are a very good source of protein, fibre, calcium and iron. Consumption of such value added products may contribute in improving the nutritional status of the population especially the vulnerable section.

This study aims to analyze iodine content in various foods and water.

Food and water samples were collected from rural and urban areas of different agroclimatic zones of Haryana State, India, and analyzed for iodine content by a standard method.

A wide variation was observed in the iodine content of cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits and milk. The iodine content in water samples varied from source to source and from zone to zone.

The investigators could not obtain sufficient samples of pulses and fruits for analysis from rural areas as they are not grown by farmers in their fields.

The study is original and innovative. The values of iodine for various foods are not available in the literature, and thus data of the present study will be useful to researchers, nutritionists, food scientists and dieticians.

The purpose of this paper is to develop nutrient rich value‐added products for children to meet the extra requirements during this growing phase of life.

In total, four value added products namely soya ladoo, paushtik ladoo, sev and mathi are prepared from locally available food ingredients. They are analysed for nutrient composition, sensory characteristics and shelf life studies.

Results reveal that all the developed value‐added products are highly acceptable having an average score of more than 4. The protein content of the products is in between 9.19 and 15.75 per cent, being highest in sev. The fat content is maximum (33.42 per cent) in mathi (a deep fried product) and fibre content in paushtik ladoo (4.0 per cent). The iron content of developed products ranges from 5.28 (mathi) to 8.73 (soya ladoo) and calcium content from 13.5 to 227.28 mg/100 g. Out of the developed products, sev and paushtik ladoo can meet up to one‐third requirement of protein and intake of 100 g of either of the ladoo or sev can fulfill about one‐third RDA of iron. The sensory scores of the products slightly decrease and free fatty acids, peroxide value and total sugars increase with the increase in storage duration.

The developed value‐added products can be a good supplement to meet the nutritional requirements of growing Indian children.

Incorporation of soybean, green leafy vegetables, peanuts, and sesame seeds in various food products can improve the protein and mineral content.

The purpose of this paper is to study sensory characteristics, proximate composition, dietary fibre content and storage stability of barley, wheat and chickpea composite flour biscuits.

In total, four types of composite flour biscuits were prepared using barley, wheat, and chickpea flour in various proportions. Wheat biscuits served as a control. Sensory characteristics of biscuits were studied by carrying out organoleptic evaluation using a nine point hedonic scale. Standard methods were used to estimate nutrient composition of biscuits. Biscuits were stored in glass jars to study their storage stability. Changes in sensory characteristics, fat acidity and free fatty acids were studied using standard methods during the storage period.

Results of the study revealed that type‐III biscuits had highest score for their colour, appearance, aroma, taste, texture and overall acceptability and were “liked very much” by the judges. The results showed that crude protein content of all types of composite flour biscuits was significantly higher than that of the control biscuits. A non‐significant difference was observed in the fat content of composite flour biscuits. The mean crude fibre and ash content of composite flour biscuits was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the control biscuits. The composite flour biscuits had a significantly lower amount of total carbohydrate and energy than the control biscuits. Type‐I biscuits contained higher total, soluble and insoluble dietary fibre as compared to other types of biscuits. The most acceptable type‐III biscuits were stored in glass jars for a period of two months. The shelf‐life study of biscuits revealed that for up to 60 days of storage the overall acceptability of biscuits was in the category of “like moderately”. Chemical analysis of biscuits during storage showed that fat acidity and free fatty acid content of stored biscuits increased with the advancement of the storage period.

This research paper is original.