Physico-chemical characterization and fuzzy logic sensory evaluation of Kaalan: a dairy product of Kerala

The food culture of India is very diverse and has evolved over thousands of years, with each region of the country having its unique cuisine. Kaalan is a popular buttermilk-based vegetable preparation from the south Indian state Kerala. Many traditional food knowledge (TFK) are associated with this product and the ingredients used in its preparation deliver various functional properties. However, the nutritive and functional properties of this traditional food have not been documented so far. Preserving and promoting TFK, and ensuring the authenticity and quality of Kaalan, requires characterisation, documentation of its production process, standardization, evaluation and validation of its functional properties. An investigation was carried out to characterize the physico-chemical and sensory attributes of Kaalan. The average composition of Kaalan samples collected from different districts were protein 6.35 +/- 0.3%, fat 9.31 +/- 0.57%, carbohydrates 11.28 +/- 0.53%, ash 2.42 +/- 0.12% and total solids 29.36 +/- 0.57%. The titratable acidity was 0.84 +/- 0.06% lactic acid and pH was 4.32 +/- 0.07. The L, a and b values and curcumin content were 61.95 +/- 0.72, 2.88 +/- 0.67, 45.89 +/- 1.56 and 2.54 +/- 0.25 ppm, respectively. The sensory evaluation was done using 9 point hedonic scale and fuzzy logic technique and the attributes were ranked in the order of taste > mouthfeel > aroma > colour.