Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology

Pearl millet based supplementary food mix was prepared with 5.0 per cent incorporation of carrot and araikeerai (Amaranthus dubius) powder. The food mix was packed in polyethylene bags (P₁), Metallized Polyethylene Pouches (P₂) and Polyethylene terephthalate jars (P₃) and stored at room temperature. The initial free fatty acid content of supplementary food mix was 0.231 per cent of oleic acid which had changed to 0.274, 0.257 and 0.248 per cent of oleic acid in P₁, P₂ and P_3, respectively after 180 days of storage. The freshly prepared supplementary food mix contained 1.2 mEq / kg of peroxide value. The corresponding values at the end of the storage were 3.9 (P₁), 2.8 (P₂) and 2.4 (P₃) mEq / kg of peroxide value. Initially the supplementary food mix had 8,048 mg of b-carotene per 100 g and after 180 days of storage period, the b-carotene reduced to 6,586 in P₁, 7,236 in P₂ and 7,215 mg / 100 g in P₃.  The freshly prepared supplementary food mix contained 2.85 mg of ascorbic acid, which had reduced to 2.17 (P₁), 2.36 (P₂) and 2.51 mg / 100 g (P₃) at the end of storage period. The study revealed that the supplementary food mix packed in Polyethylene terephthalate jars had undergone minimum changes in physico-chemical characteristics. Hence, it is concluded that the storage of supplementary mix in Polyethylene terephthalate jars extent the shelf life of the product and reduce the nutrient losses during storage.