Development of wheat and carob filled ragi cookies enriched with defatted peanut flour

The study aimed to formulate and evaluate the quality of carob filled ragi cookies enriched with defatted peanut flour (DPF). DPF is typically a byproduct of peanut oil extraction and is often considered as food waste. Three cookie samples were prepared with varying proportions of carob filling (CF) and DPF: Sample A incorporated both CF and DPF, Sample B contained CF, while sample C only had DPF. All the three samples were assessed to check their physical, nutritional and microbial parameters. The cookies were packed in high density polyethylene (HDPE) bags of 3 × 3 inch size with a thickness of 50 microns and the shelf life of the prepared cookies were evaluated for three months. The results were statistically analysed and the nutritional analysis indicated an increase in protein from 7.4% to 10%, fibre from 2.6% to 6%, calcium from 104 to 141.3 mg/100 g and iron from 2.6 to 6.0 mg/100 g in sample A cookies than compared to sample B and C. Microbial alteration was not seen during the three months of storage. Sensory evaluation showed that the cookies containing DPF did not affect to the overall acceptability. Thus, it can be concluded that the incorporation of DPF not only elevates the nutritional value of the final cookies but also contributes to sustainability by minimizing the waste generation.