Investigation of optimum formulation for rice noodles fortified from marjoram, basil, spearmint, and skim milk powder

This study aimed to create an optimal formulation of fortified rice noodles (FRNs), incorporating spearmint, marjoram, and basil powders in varying proportions, along with skim milk powder (SMP) as a common ingredient. The objective was to make iron, folate, and vitamin B₁₂ FRN with acceptable sensory quality. A panel of 28 experts evaluated the sensory quality of differently formulated noodles using fuzzy analysis and 9-point hedonic scale testing. Both sensory results rated the unfortified rice noodles highest and basil FRN lowest. The fuzzy analysis found spearmint FRN superior than marjoram FRN based on similarity value, but this finding was contradicted by the individual triplet values, overall sensory scores triplets, and overall membership function values. Instead, the 9-point hedonic test clearly indicated a preference for marjoram FRN, rating it between ‘liked slightly’ and ‘liked very much’. Overall, the results highlighted the superior sensory appeal of the marjoram FRN over the spearmint FRN, making it the recommended choice for FRN development. The optimal formulation consisted of 93.764 g of rice flour, 2.893 g of marjoram powder, and 3.434 g of SMP. The correlation analysis of sensory results showed meaningful correlations between color-appearance, stickiness-breakability, and taste-texture attributes of the noodles. The study's outcomes contribute to the development of nutritious fortified noodles using optimum formulation and utilization of marjoram powder, a rich source of iron and folate, thereby benefiting both consumers and the food industry.