Investigating the Impact of Incorporating Malted Ragi Flour on the Nutritional Composition and Sensory Characteristics of Muffins

The proposed study aims to investigate the impact of incorporating malted ragi flour on the nutritional composi-tion and sensory characteristics of muffins. Ragi, also known as finger millet, is a staple food crop in many parts of India and Africa and is known for its high nutritional value, including high levels of protein, minerals, and antioxidants. Malted ragi flour, which is made by germinating and drying ragi grains, is believed to improve the nutritional quality of baked goods. The study involved the preparation of muffins using different levels of malt-ed ragi flour supplementation (0%, 20%, 40% and 60%) and measuring the nutritional and sensory quality of the resulting muffins. The study was conducted in a lab following food safety and sanitation protocols, using standard techniques for muffin preparation, nutritional analysis, and sensory evaluation. The results showed that the samples were rich in mineral contents like calcium and iron which are enriched with malted ragi flour as compared to the control sample. The muffins prepared with 20% malted ragi flour are having highest overall ac-ceptability. The muffins prepared with 60% malted ragi flour had the highest mineral content, but the sensory score was low due to unstable structure and dark color. The results of this study will provide valuable infor-mation on the potential of malted ragi flour as a functional ingredient in baked goods, and may have implica-tions for the development of nutrient-dense, high-quality food products for improving health and nutrition.