Burfi and peda are the two major khoa based sweets, which are highly popular among Indians mainly because of their delicious taste and high nutritional value. It has been reported that the quantity of peda produced in India far exceeds any other indigenous milk based sweet [2].

Peda is known by several synonyms such as peda, penda, pera, and so on throughout the country. There are four types of peda: white, yellow, brown, and kesar peda. Also, regional versions of peda are manufactured around the country, such as Mathura peda, Kunthalgiri peda, Dharwad peda, Lal peda, and Bal Mithai.

Peda is offered at religious places as “Prashad” and as an item of menu at many ceremonial functions in Indian society [3].

The elephant foot yam (EFY) (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, fam Araceae) is the “king of tuber crops” popularly known as “oal” or “suran” and is one of the important aroid tuber vegetable crops cultivated for its corms in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the tropical Pacific islands. The large underground tuber is edible and used as a vegetable. The tubers are the most important carbohydrate source after rice and maize and consumed widely in Indonesia, India, and Sri Lanka. This crop is propagated mainly through vegetative propagules (corms and tubers). In India EFY is extensively cultivated in the states of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand in 30ha area with production of 774 MT.

Elephant foot yam is considered to be a healthy low-fat food and is a rich source of essential fatty acids (Omega-3 fatty acids), which are known to increase the good anti-cholesterol levels in the blood. Eating elephant foot yam consumption can increase the estrogen levels in women’s bodies, thus helping to maintain the hormonal balance. It is also high in vitamin B-6, which provides relief from pre-menstrual syndrome in women. It is a natural product that is high in fiber. It can be used as slimming food because it lowers cholesterol levels and promotes weight loss and also has a high concentration of key minerals as in Table 1 [4].

Yam Powder

It is also widely used in medicine for bronchitis, asthma, abdominal pain, emesis, dysentery, enlargement of spleen, piles, elephantiasis [5].

The increasing demand for herbal care for diabetes calls for intense farming of Stevia rebaudiana to increase the production of its low-calorie sweetening glycosides. Studies reveal that the content of these glycosides, especially stevioside, greatly depends on the total biomass produced, which in turn depends on agricultural practices for cultivation of Stevia plants [6].

Diabetes mellitus is one of the key metabolic diseases cause due to defects in the secretion of insulin, insulin resistance in peripheral tissues, or both. Plants remained an important source of nutrition as well as medicine [7].

Sweet components responsible for intense sweetness are the Steviosides having sweetness ranging from 250 to 400 times sweeter as compared to sucrose. Bioactive moieties in Stevia play vital role in health promotion aiding and boosting immune system to fight against cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and lower the occurrence of various other ailments diseases [8].

It is noteworthy that buffalo milk is richer than cow milk in all major constituents. In this regard, its high energy and nutritional value is due to the fact that fat constitutes the main fraction. Buffalo milk is also characterized by high levels of lactose, protein, and ash [9] (Table 2).

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The experiment “Preparation and Quality Assessment of Peda Prepared by Buffalo Milk and Incorporated with Elephant Foot Powder & Stevia Powder” Processing as per Figure 1.

The above process shows the preparation of control and experimental peda. That is prepared during this research.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The obtained data were analyzed under following headings:

1. Physico-chemical analysis (Table 3)

2. Microbiological Analysis (Table 4)

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

• Protein

From the above data of protein of different treatments and a control, the highest mean was recorded in sample T0(11.83) followed by T3(11.81), T2(11.79), T1(11.74).

• Fat

From the above data of fat of different treatments and a control, the highest mean was recorded in sample T0(18.85) followed by T1(17.55), T2(17.43), T3(17.27).

• Fiber

From the above data of fiber of different treatments and a control, the highest mean was recorded in sample T3(0.54) followed by T2(0.30), T1(0.18), T0(0).

• Total Solid

From the above data of total solids of different treatments and a control, the highest mean was recorded in sample T3(84.38) followed by T2(82.68), T1(80.95), T0(79.73).

• Carbohydrate

From the above data of carbohydrate of different treatments and a control, the highest mean was recorded in sample T3(46.95) followed by T2(44.58), T1(42.85), T0(41.25).

• Ash

From the above data of ash of different treatments and a control, the highest mean was recorded in sample T3(8.99) followed by T2(8.90), T1(8.81), T0(8.80).

• Moisture

From the above data of moisture of different treatments and a control, the highest mean was recorded in sample T0(20.27) followed by T1(19.05), T2(17.54), T3(15.62).

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

• Yeast and mold

The value of Yeast and Mold score in samples of different treatments and control was recorded Nil in all samples.

• Coliform

The value of coliform score in samples of different treatments and control was recorded Nil in all samples.

• SPC

From the above data of SPC of different treatments and a control, the highest mean was recorded in sample T0(1.564) followed by T3(1.464), T2(1.366), T1(1.180).

CONCLUSION

In this study, the utilization of buffalo milk in the form of full cream milk is carried out. So, an attempt was made to prepare peda, an Indian sweet which is mostly served as prashad is made by using buffalo milk, elephant foot powder, and stevia powder in different combination for treatments T0, T1, T2, T3. The study reveals that buffalo milk, elephant foot powder and stevia powder in the ratio T1 found to be best in terms of sensory score of the sample as well as cost of production and treatment T3 was found to be best in terms of nutritional properties.

Nutritional properties of prepared peda was also found to be good as it has appreciable amount of vitamin A was found as elephant foot powder is a good source of Vitamin A, increased amount of fiber is also observed as the concentration of elephant foot powder is increased, also the prepared experimental peda is also good of the patients of hyper glycemia as stevia is used as sweetener which has very low glycemic index. Thus, it may be concluded that combination of buffalo milk, elephant foot powder and stevia powder can be used to manufacture peda with further scope of enhancements.

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  Table 1
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  Table 2
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  Table 3
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  Table 4