Nutritional composition and organoleptic evaluation of value-added products developed from garden cress seeds

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L) seeds are small, oval-shaped, pointed and triangular at one end, about 3–4 mm long, 1–2 mm wide and reddish brown in colour. It has been well known as an important medicinal plant since the Vedic era. It is a fast growing edible plant and all the parts of it viz seeds, leaves and roots are of enormous economic importance. Its seeds are nutritious and also have been widely used to treat a number of diseases in traditional Indian system of medicine. In the present study garden cress seeds were analysed for the nutritional composition and results revealed that 100 g of seeds contain 4.24 g moisture, 26.32 g protein, 27.80 g fat, 7.05 g crude fibre, 29.97 g carbohydrate and 475 Kcal energy. Minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper and manganese were found to be 253.46, 418.35, 6.48, 2.37, 2.31 and 1.52 mg respectively. Vitamins viz were 236.00 μg and 16.34 mg and 98.54 mg respectively. Among the developed products control sample scored higher values for all sensory attributes followed by products prepared with five per cent incorporated seeds. Value-added products developed from the seeds had acceptable sensory attributes.