Utilizing Dehydrated Peels of Ridge Gourd (Luffa acutangula) for Development of a High Fiber Snack Product

A considerable amount of bio-waste is generated while processing foods in the form of peel, seeds and inedible pulp material, which can be re-used for edible purposes after appropriate processing. Ridge gourd peel is an edible bio-waste which is not used due to high dietary fiber content and a rough texture. Hence, the present study was planned to explore the possibility of utilizing ridge gourd peel in a snack product to increase its fiber content. Dried ridge gourd peel was incorporated to a traditional deep fried product, namely diamond cuts at 3, 6 and 9 per cent levels and the products were evaluated for nutritional composition, sensory quality and storage stability in different packaging materials. Results showed that value addition of diamond cuts with ridge gourd peel increased the dietary fiber content of products significantly. Lower level of incorporation were organoleptically acceptable, while higher level obtained a lesser sensory score. The products were shelf stable as judged by lipid peroxidation upto 30 days of storage. Metalized foil was superior for storage. Hence, it can be concluded that ridge gourd peel could be used for food use and can be utilized for value addition in formulation of different products.