Vol. 11, Special Issue 7 (2022)

Author(s):
Diwakar Mishra and Jayaraj Rao

Abstract:
Paneer is an important, acid-coagulated indigenous milk product extensively used as a cooking ingredient along with vegetables. Good quality paneer is characterized by a marble white color, sweetish, mildly acidic taste, nutty flavor, spongy body and closely knit, smooth texture. Due to high moisture content (about 55%), it has shelf life of only one day at room temperature and up to a week at refrigeration temperature. Hurdles like spices, smoking, packaging etc. can be used to enhance shelf life of paneer. Ajwain is an important spice widely used in the world. Ajwain extract @ of 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7% by weight of milk, was incorporated into milk from which paneer was prepared. Paneer was prepared using the milk as per standardised method. It was observed that paneer incorporated with ajwain extract @ 0.6% was acceptable and selected for further analysis. Ajwain extract, prepared by extraction of ajwain @ of 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7% by weight of milk, was incorporated into milk from which paneer was prepared. Shelf life of control and ajwain paneer (@ 0.6%) were 8 and 12 days at refrigeration temperature, respectively. Moisture content and pH decreases while lactic acid content of both control and spiced paneer increased during storage at refrigeration temperature.