Vol. 6, Issue 5 (2018)

This research article investigates the effect of incorporating ash gourd shreds on the shelf stability of kheer, a popular traditional dessert. The study aims to assess the impact of ash gourd shreds on the sensory attributes of kheer during storage. Various parameters such as colour & appearance, flavour, body and texture and overall acceptability were employed to evaluate the shelf stability of kheer with and without ash gourd shreds. The results provide valuable insights into the potential of ash gourd shreds as a natural ingredient for enhancing the shelf life of kheer. Kheer was prepared using mixed milk with a consistent sugar level of 8% and rice at 2.5% of the weight of the milk. Different proportions of ash gourd shreds at 0.0%, 2.0%, 4.0%, and 6.0% of the weight of milk were incorporated. The shelf life of the final product was evaluated at refrigerated temperature (5 ℃) using a 9-point hedonic scale. The results indicated that all kheer samples (T₁, T₂, and T₃) remained acceptable for up to 3 days at refrigeration conditions. Among the experimental treatments, T₁ received the highest scores for color (7.98), body and texture (7.68), appearance (7.76) and overall acceptability (7.76) while T₂ received highest score for flavour (8.022) at 5 ℃ for 3 days as compared to control.