Vol. 10, Issue 4 (2021)

Author(s):
Diwakar Mishra, Jayaraj Rao and Santosh Anand

Abstract:
Paneer is an important, acid-coagulated indigenous milk product extensively used as a cooking ingredient along with vegetables. Good quality paneer is characterized by a marble white color, sweetish, mildly acidic taste, nutty flavor, spongy body and closely knit, smooth texture. Due to high moisture content (about 55%), it has shelf life of only one day at room temperature and up to a week at refrigeration temperature. Hurdles like spices, smoking, packaging etc. can be used to enhance shelf life of paneer. Black pepper gives characteristic flavor to food products. It has a number of functional properties including: analgesic and antipyretic properties, antioxidant effects and antimicrobial properties. Black pepper extract, prepared by extraction of black pepper @ of 0.6, 0.7 and 0.8% by weight of milk, was incorporated into milk from which paneer was prepared. Shelf life of control and black pepper paneer (@ 0.7%) were 8 and 12 days at refrigeration temperature, respectively. Moisture content and pH decreases while lactic acid content of both control and spiced paneer increased during storage at refrigeration temperature.