Physicochemical Dynamics, Sensory Profiles and Anthocyanin Stability of Value-Added Functional Formulations from Pigmented Kavuni Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Varying Packaging Systems
R. Tharani
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, PGP College of Agricultural Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India.
V. R. Senthamizhkumaran *
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, PGP College of Agricultural Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India.
K. Gayathiri
PGP College of Agricultural Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India.
D. Lekasri
PGP College of Agricultural Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India.
U. Medunavarsini
PGP College of Agricultural Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India.
M. Miruthulasree
PGP College of Agricultural Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India.
S. Monika
PGP College of Agricultural Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India.
M. Rathinakumari
PGP College of Agricultural Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India.
M. Sasikumar
PGP College of Agricultural Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Kavuni rice (Oryza sativa L.), a traditional pigmented black rice variety of Tamil Nadu, India, is recognized for its exceptional nutritional profile and high concentration of anthocyanin-based antioxidants. Despite its established health benefits, the variety remains underutilized owing to limited awareness and the absence of convenient food formats. The present study was undertaken to develop three value-added products are puttu, cake, and jelly from Kavuni rice, evaluating their proximate nutritional composition, product-level physicochemical attributes, and sensory profiles over a 15-day storage period under two packaging treatments (T1: stand-up pouch; T2: high-density polypropylene). Proximate nutritional analysis of the raw Kavuni grain revealed a dense macro- and micronutrient matrix composed of 11.77 ± 0.15 g/100g protein, 72.43 ± 0.88% total carbohydrates, 4.80 ± 0.11 % total fat, 0.71 ± 0.04 % crude fiber, and 1.57 ± 0.06 % ash, with a low amylose fraction (8.27 ± 0.19 %) and a base grain moisture of 12.13 ± 0.21%. While native functional properties of the grain or matrices were not evaluated in this study, the performance of the developed formulations was extensively monitored during storage. Instrumental color analysis revealed acceptable L*, a*, and b* chromaticity values for all three products across the storage window. Physicochemical analysis of the finished products indicated Total Soluble Solids (TSS) values ranging from 40.56 to 60.80 0Brix, product moisture tracking between $59.10\%$ and $62.90\%$, and titratable acidity varying between 0.241% and 0.598 %. Organoleptic profiling conducted by a semi-trained panel using a 9-point hedonic scale indicated that T2-packaged products recorded significantly higher overall acceptability scores, peaking at Day 0 for the steamed puttu (9.45 ± 0.35) and baked cake (9.35 ± 0.15) formulations. The findings confirm that Kavuni rice is a highly suitable substrate for functional product development, and its incorporation into traditional and bakery formats is a promising, nutritionally meaningful strategy for expanding its market reach and improving dietary diversity.
Keywords: Black rice, value-added products, puttu, sensory evaluation, physicochemical properties