Nutritional, Sensory Quality and Antimicrobial Enhancement of Mango Ginger and Spices Fortified Tamarind Candies

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) is a highly nutritious but underutilized fruit. Tamarind have a significant health benefits but till its potential remains largely unexploited. This present investigation is about the effects of incorporating natural ingredients like cumin (Cuminum cyminum), black cumin (Nigella sativa), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), chilli powder (Capsicum annuum) and mango ginger (Curcuma amada) on the overall nutritional, sensory and microbial quality of tamarind candy. The entire study was conducted during the 12 months of storage. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of four (04) treatments (control, spice mix, spice mix + chilli, spice mix + chilli + mango ginger) and five (05) replications was conducted. Results showed that total soluble solids (TSS), total sugar (TS) and reducing sugar (RS) gradually increased over time. The titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content declined during the storage which was irrespective of treatments. The firmness which was analyzed using texture analyzer was significantly higher in spice-enhanced candies. The Microbial analysis revealed that mango ginger significantly reduced the total plate count (TPC). This demonstrates a strong antimicrobial property of mango ginger. Sensory evaluation revealed that candies prepared with spices and mango ginger retained better flavor, texture and overall acceptability as compared to the control. The study concludes that incorporating traditional spices, particularly mango ginger, improved the physicochemical, microbial and sensory attributes of tamarind candy. Mango ginger is also known to extend the shelf life and improving consumer demand. These findings back the development of a quality enhanced tamarind candy with health-promoting spices.