Investigation of Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Finger-millet (Eleusine coracana) Incorporated Chicken Egg-based Snack

Consumers prefer to have a snack with healthy and high nutritional value to satisfy the hunger as a convenient, ready-to-eat food item or replacement meal. Thus, this study was aimed to develop a nutritionally balanced, finger-millet (Eleusine coracana) incorporated egg-based snack with high sensory properties. In this study, two preliminary trials were conducted to select the best replacement level of wheat flour with finger-millet on a weight basis as 10%, 15% and 20% (w/w) and to determine the best incorporation level of egg white from four levels; 0%, 15%, 30% and 45%(w/w). The 15% finger-millet incorporated snack from trial 1 and the snack consisting of 15%finger-millet with 30% egg white from trial 2 were selected via sensory evaluations. The selected two snack products were stored at room temperature (28ºC) for one month to evaluate the physiochemical, microbiological and sensory parameters. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in colour, appearance and overall acceptability between the two snacks at the first and fourth week of the storage period, as well as the crispiness of the two snacks showed a significant difference (p<0.05) at the end of the storage period. The snack made with 30% egg white and 15%finger-millet had significantly lower (p<0.05) bulk density (0.33±0.01 g/cm3) and significantly higher (p<0.05) protein content (18.96±0.30%) than the other treatment. Results of the current study revealed that 15% finger-millet, 30% egg white incorporated snack gives the best sensory, nutritional and physiochemical characteristics that can be used as a novel product in the food industry.