Therapeutic potential and nutritional composition of Murraya koenigii L. leaves and its application for the development of β-carotene enriched buns

Murraya koenigii L. leaf is also known as curry leaf and is one of the finest aromatic herbs utilized as a special ingredient in culinary preparations in most Indian cuisines.Traditionally, it has been used in Unani and Ayurveda medicine to treat several ailments.This study was undertaken to study the therapeutic potential of M. koenigii; to analyse the nutritional composition of freeze-dried leaf powder and development and sensory and nutritional analysis of -carotene enriched buns.Four types of buns were prepared, i.e., using refined flour only and refined flour substituted with 5, 7.5 and 10 per cent of M. koenigii leaf powder.The freeze-dried M. koenigii leaves contained 53.68 g total dietary fibre, 9.63 g soluble dietary fibre, 155.6 mg RE total flavonoids, 624.3 mg GAE total phenols, 650.4 mg TEE FRAP, 21.23 mg iron, 2147 mg calcium and 104100 g -carotene.In terms of sensory attributes, all the supplemented buns were accepted by the judges and adjudged between 'liked moderately' to 'liked very much'.The amount of -carotene in buns prepared with refined flour was found to be 12.15 g/100 g which was increased enormously to 4176.21, 6258.22 and 8340.20 g/100 g in the buns prepared by incorporating 5, 7.5 and 10 per cent of M. koenigii leaves powder.The consumption of two buns in a day can meet more than 40 per cent of the recommended dose of vitamin A in adults and more than 60 per cent in children (1-12 y).