Development and Sensory Evaluation of Traditional Indian Food Matrices Fortified with a Five-Ingredient Polyherbal Formulation: A Study of Kadhi and Ragi Soup

Traditional food preparations provide practical culinary matrices for incorporating botanical ingredients, but the palatability of multi-ingredient mixtures requires direct evaluation. This study examined the descriptive sensory profiles of kadhi and ragi soup containing a five-ingredient mixture of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), dried ginger (Zingiber officinale), jamun seed (Syzygium cumini) and curry leaf (Murraya koenigii) powders. For each food, an unfortified control (A0) was compared with three incorporation levels (A1–A3): 1.13%, 2.28% and 3.44% for kadhi, and 0.71%, 1.44% and 2.19% for ragi soup. The available aggregate nine-point hedonic ratings covered colour, appearance, aroma, texture, taste and overall acceptability. Among kadhi formulations, A1 had the highest reported overall-acceptability mean (8.80), whereas A2 had the highest aroma mean (8.90). For ragi soup, A1 had the highest overall-acceptability mean (8.70) and A2 the highest aroma mean (8.85). The highest incorporation level did not produce the highest mean for either aroma or overall acceptability. The evidence is restricted to descriptive patterns because assessor-level scores, sample size and details needed to establish the independence or pairing of observations were not available for reanalysis. These observations suggest sensory compatibility at lower incorporation levels, but they do not establish statistical superiority, therapeutic efficacy or nutritional enhancement. Complete formulation documentation and primary-data verification are essential before wider generalisation.