Shelf-life stability of formulated edible spoons made from the blends of wheat (Triticum aestivum), rice (Oryza sativa), & millet (Pennisetum glaucum) flours

The study aimed to produce edible spoons from blends of wheat flour, rice flour, & millet flour, & to determine their shelf life under ambient temperature for one month. The rice grains & millet were cleaned, dried, & milled. Five samples (WRM1, WRM2, WRM3, WRM4, & WRM5) were formulated by varying the amount of wheat flour with proportions of rice flour & millet flour, & coded as: W(90%)+R(5%)+M(5%), W(80%)+R(10%)+M(10%), W(70%)+R(15%)+M(15%), W(95%)+R(2.5%)+M(2.5%). Wheat flour (100%) was used as a control. Edible spoon samples were produced from the combination of the flour blends. Proximate analysis, sensory evaluation, & shelf-life study on microbial analysis of the edible spoons were carried out using st&ard procedures. From the results obtained, there was an increase in the total viable count during the storage period. The total viable counts were as follows: WRM1 (3.5 ×100), WRM2 (6.0 ×100), WRM3 (1.5 ×100), WRM4 (7.0 ×100), & WRM5 (4.5 ×100) for the first week of storage. Meanwhile, mold was detected in samples WRM2 (1.9 ×100), WRM3 (3.5 ×100), & WRM4 (3.0 ×100) starting from the third week of storage. Proximate composition ranged from 12.02% to 15.05% for moisture, 12.95% to 20.57% for protein, 0.40% to 0.81% for fat, 0.20% to 0.60% for ash, & 64.28% to 72.02% for carbohydrate content, respectively. Sample WRM3 had the highest overall acceptability & was most preferred by the panelists, while sample WRM5 was rated the least. • Edible spoons formulated from wheat, rice, & millet blends for eco-friendly use. • Shelf-life stability tested via microbial analysis at ambient storage for four weeks. • WRM3 (90:5:5) blend showed best sensory score & lowest microbial growth. • Proximate analysis showed high protein & carbohydrate content in samples. • Edible spoons offer biodegradable alternative to plastic with good shelf stability.