Cardamom [Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton]-Fortified Jaggery: Its Physicochemical Characterization and In Vitro Antioxidant Capacity

Jaggery was fortified with Elettaria cardamomum at 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.2% (w/v) of Co 86032, Co 419 and Co 62175 sugarcane varieties and was evaluated for physical and chemical characteristics and in vitro antioxidant capacity, viz. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and reducing power ability. E. cardamomum-fortified jaggery showed increased insoluble solid contents, color intensity, turbidity with decreased filterability at different E. cardamomum concentrations. Sucrose and reducing sugars increased marginally in E. cardamomum-fortified jaggery, but total phenol and flavonoid contents enhanced after E. cardamomum fortification in all the test varieties. Fortified jaggery showed increased antioxidant activity as revealed by DPPH radical scavenging ability and reducing power potential. An EC50 of 3.143, 2.864 and 2.967 mg/mL was observed at 0.2% concentration of E. cardamomum fortification for jaggery prepared from Co 86032, Co 419 and Co 62175, respectively. Co 419- and Co 62175-fortified jaggery showed 21 and 23% increase in DPPH radical scavenging capacity. A positive correlation (r = 0.985, 0.744 and 0.908) was observed between total phenolic and antioxidant activity of E. cardamomum-fortified jaggery for Co 86032, Co 419 and Co 62175 varieties, respectively. E. cardamomum-fortified jaggery at 0.2% spice fortification concentration has increased 14.4, 27.6 and 33.3% of reducing power in Co 86032, Co 419 and Co 62175, respectively. Hence, E. cardamomum-fortified jaggery might be a served as natural sweetner for improved health benefits.