A novel approach to increase calcium and fiber content in pasta using kadamb fruit (Neolamarckia cadamba) powder and study of functional and structural characteristics

Kadamb is a unique and underutilized fruit having rich nutritional profile. The utilization of kadamb fruit in value addition is very limited. In this study, pasta was made using kadamb fruit powder (KFP). The effect of fortification of KFP on the quality parameters (color, solid loss, percent expansion, hardness, bulk density, and overall acceptability) of pasta was studied. Pasta was prepared using semolina as the base ingredient, and various proportions of KFP (ranging from 0 to 20%) were added for fortification. Dietary fiber and calcium contents of dry pasta were increased from 5.21 +/- 0.02 to 15.36 +/- 0.02 and 17.57 +/- 0.15 to 37.97 +/- 0.03, respectively. As the proportion of KFP increased, the cooking time, hardness, and percent solid loss of the cooked pasta also increased. The highest values for overall acceptability, hardness, cooking solid loss, and bulk density were achieved with 10% KFP and 90% semolina were 7.93 +/- 0.41, 19.92 +/- 0.21 N, 6.30 +/- 0.46%, and 331.67 +/- 9.60 kg/ m(3) respectively. Percent expansion of the pasta was noted to be around 98.33 +/- 6.5%. The optimal proportion of KFP was found to be 10% for achieving the best overall quality attributes. FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) analyses were conducted on the pasta, confirming the presence of functional groups and revealing structural changes due to fiber content of KFP. KFP can be used to create functional and nutritious food products, and further research could explore its application in other food formulations as well.