Development and quality evaluation of instant pudding mixture fortified with powder of custard apple (Annona Muricata L.)

Abstract

Desserts are typical dishes offered at the end of a meal in many cultures across the world. Instant pudding is frequently made out of sweet and creamy components that are high in sugar and fat. The objective of this study was to take advantage of natural flavour and sweetness as well as to replace artificial flavours by developing an instant pudding mixture fortified with custard apple powder. The mature and ripen custard apples were harvested from the cultivations of local farmers. Fruits were cleaned, peeled, and seeded before being sliced into thin slices of 5 mm thickness and sun-dried until the pieces were fairly brittle. The dry chips were ground, then sieved through a 250 m sieve before being packaged in airtight containers. The custard apple powder was produced and incorporated into pudding mixture formulations in different proportions (10 to 25%). The pudding mixture was evaluated for physicochemical and sensory evaluation. The formulation of 20% custard apple flour and 80% milk was successful in the development of composite pudding and had improved nutritional and organoleptic properties. The sensory analysis revealed that the pudding fortified with 20% custard apple powder was highly accepted in terms of colour, texture, taste, and overall acceptability when compared to other treatments. The outcomes of this study could be used to create a high acceptance and nutritionally rich pudding combination created from custard apple powder.