Studies on Chemical Changes in Burfi Enriched with different Herbs

Abstract

The investigation was carried out to study the chemical changes taking place in burfi by the addition of several herbs and their comparison with the control product. Different herbs, viz., Withania somnifera (Ashwgandha), Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari), and Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi), were incorporated into the blend in the ratio of 5:4:1, respectively, to develop herbal burfi. The combination of herbs was added at levels of 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, and 2.00% by weight of khoa to obtain products designated T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. The control product (T0) was prepared in a similar manner but was devoid of herbs. Proximate analysis, including moisture, total solids, fat, lactose, protein, and ash, was conducted. The results show that moisture content decreased significantly (P≤0.05) with increasing herb addition, while total solids increased. Protein content increased with higher herb percentages, likely due to the protein content of the added herbs. Fat and lactose content remained unchanged with herb addition, as herbs do not contribute significantly to these components. Ash content increased with higher herb addition rates, though not significantly (P≥0.05). Overall, the addition of herbs influenced the chemical composition of burfi, impacting moisture, total solids, protein, and ash content with varying degrees of significance.