Study and quality evaluation of candy prepared by using bottle gourd

Bottle Gourd (lagneria siceraria) is having a variety of uses throughout world. Recently the interest in bottle gourd has been growing amongst consumers because it contains several nutritive and medicinal constituents which are required for good health and wellbeing. The nutritive value of bottle gourd makes it a popular diet ingredient in making sweet curries, soups, jams, juices, beverages, cakes, for value addition. Keeping in view its nutritional and therapeutic values, bottle gourd candy was prepared by incorporating (65, 70 and 75 °Brix) of sugar syrup into them. Product quality was evaluated based on physicochemical (moisture, ash, pH, TSS, browning index), characteristics of the samples. It was studied that the physicochemical attributes of the bottle gourd candy samples were improved by adding the sugar syrup as compared to with control which is 2% CaCl₂ treatment. There was increased ash content, reduction in moisture content and browning index due to the sugar syrup incorporation. On 28th day the moisture content of the of the bottle gourd candy sample with (65, 70 and 75 °Brix) concentration was 7.49, 7.19 and 7.07 % respectively. The ash contents of the bottle gourd candy samples were found 0.385, 0.506, and 0.590 % respectively on 28th day and pH were 3.82, 3.89 and 3.49 respectively at the end of storage. The products were found to be safe for consumption and was in pristine state even after 28 days. Hence the study suggests the uses of bottle gourd candy for taste and health benefits.