Development and quality evaluation of sweetened paneer cubes by incorporating sugar and jaggery

Abstract:

Paneer is one of the most widely consumed indigenous dairy products in India due to its high nutritional value, versatility and widespread consumer acceptance. The present study was aimed to develop sweetened paneer cubes by using sugar and jaggery and to evaluate their physico-chemical and sensory attributes. Paneer was prepared from standardized milk through citric acid coagulation and subsequently cut into cubes. Two different treatment groups were formulated: (T₁) sugar-treated paneer cubes cooked in sugar syrup and (T₂) jaggery-treated paneer cubes cooked in jaggery syrup along with control (C) paneer cubes cooked in water. The prepared products were evaluated for product yield, water-holding capacity, juiciness, moisture content, total solids, protein, fat and energy value. Sensory evaluation was conducted using a nine-point hedonic scale. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of sweeteners significantly (P<0.05) enhanced product quality compared with the control. Among the treatments, jaggery-treated paneer cubes exhibited the highest product yield (94.40%), water-holding capacity (16.20%), juiciness (25.90%) and energy value (328.60 kcal/100 g). Sensory evaluation revealed significantly (P<0.05) higher scores for colour and appearance, aroma, juiciness, tenderness, texture, and overall acceptability in the jaggery-treated samples. The characteristic flavour of jaggery, coupled with its ability to enhance moisture retention, contributed to greater consumer preference. The findings of this study indicate that jaggery can be effectively utilized as a natural sweetening agent for the development of nutritionally enriched, highly acceptable, ready-to-eat paneer products.