ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF HERBAL YOGHURT INCORPORATED WITH TULSI (OCIMUM SANCTUM) EXTRACT

The aim of the study was to develop herbal yoghurt by incorporating tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf extract at 1 and 1.5 per cent level. The developed herbal yoghurt samples were analysed for physico-chemical properties, antioxidant activity and sensory quality by standard methods. The incorporation of tulsi extract improved the antioxidant activity of yoghurt significantly. The antioxidant activity of control and tulsi incorporated yoghurt (1 and 1.5 per cent) were 28.12±2.16, 41.82±1.51 and 53.1±1.51 per cent respectively. A decline in antioxidant activity was observed in all yoghurt samples after the third day of storage. No significant difference in fat and total solids content was observed in yoghurt samples incorporated with tulsi extract. The sensory scores of yoghurt incorporated with one per cent tulsi extract was significantly higher than that of control. The study revealed that tulsi extract can be incorporated in to yoghurt to enhance the antioxidant activity without compromising the sensory quality.