Development and Quality Analysis of Wheat Bran Enriched Herbal Cookies

Wheat bran, byproduct of the wheat milling has extensive applications in the food industry attributing to its high dietary fiber (polysaccharides), protein and minerals content. Dietary fiber assist in gastrointestinal health maintenance and diseases risk reduction (Diverticular disease, heart disease, cancer and diabetes). Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) contains numerous bioactive compounds (Caryophyllin, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid, thymol,methyl chavicol, citral, carvacrol, and caryophyllene) imparting health benefits. Tulsi being rich in antioxidants advised for fighting free radicals and excess oxidative damage. In developing countries like India, with growing urbanization healthy bakery products demand is progressively rising in both urban and rural area. Hence, sincere efforts were undertaken to develop functionally and nutritionally enhanced cookies by incorporating wheat bran and tulsi powder. The cookies were developed by replacing refined wheat flour with varying level of wheat bran (20-35%). Cookies formulated with 30% wheat bran was observed to be sensorially best sample against other levels. Hence this sample was further selected for incorporation of tulsi powder (1-3%) and subjected to physical, chemical and sensory analysis. Sensory score indicated 1% tulsi powder incorporated cookie sample was highly acceptable against rest of the samples. The wheat bran (30%) and tulsi powder (1%) incorporation increased the dietary fiber (42.43%) and protein content (27.69%) without affecting on sensory parameters. The enhanced total phenol content (63.66%) and antioxidant activity (16.30%) was emerged out as one of the achievements of present investigation.