Formulation of Health Food Products by incorporating tulsi leaves (Ocimum sanctum) and sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus)

Abstract

Unprecedented pandemic like COVID-19 created havoc worldwide, leading to short term as well as long term physical, psychological and social health implications. The poor immunity  increased the mortality and post-COVID associated morbidities. This calls for enhancing immunity for general wellbeing. Host of studies have proved that Indian medicinal plants viz. giloy, tulsi, Ginger, Curcumin, aloevera are efficient in boosting up the immunity. In the present study, two food products laddoo (a sweet) and cookies were developed by utilizing tulsi leaves powder and sunflower seed powder, respectively. Tulsi leaves (Ocimum sanctum) also known as “Mother Medicine of Nature,” and sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus) are known to boost the immunity and possess medicinal properties. The health food products viz. laddoo was developed by incorporating 1% (S2 ),  3% (S3 ) and 5% (S4 ) of tulsi leaves powder and cookies were developed by incorporating 20% (C2 ), 30% (C3 ) and 40%(C4 ) of sunflower seed powder. S1 and C1 served as standard laddoo and cookie, respectively. The formulated health food products were assessed for the organoleptic properties using sensory scores and nutritional composition was computed. The results showed that among all the samples of laddoo, S2 (Wheat flour: tulsi powder as 99:1) was most acceptable and the nutritional values revealed that S4 had highest iron content due to more incorporation of tulsi powder and S2 (Wheat flour: tulsi as 99:1) had highest zinc content. In case of Cookies, C3 was most acceptable. It was seen that as the incorporation of sunflower seed powder increased, the nutritive value for energy, protein, calcium, and vitamin C increased. C4 (Wheat flour: sunflower seeds as 60:40) had highest energy, protein, calcium and vitamin C content. Thus, it can be concluded that tulsi leaves powder and sunflower seeds powder can be effectively incorporated to formulate value added food products.