Vol. 9, Issue 8, Part A (2025)

This study investigates the culinary possibilities of tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb.) fruit by creating and assessing six value-added food products. Although indigenous communities have traditionally used tendu fruit, it remains significantly underexploited in the commercial food industry. The fruit is abundant in carbohydrates, vitamin C, potassium, and tannins, providing an opportunity to diversify functional food options. From the raw tendu fruit pulp, three products were developed: pickle, chutney, and candy; and from the ripe pulp, three products were created: mouth freshener, energy bar, and smoothie, all in dried and powdered forms. Various physical aspects (fruit diameter, fresh weight, peel weight, pulp weight, and seed weight), physicochemical characteristics (pH, titratable acidity, pectin content, and total sugar), and proximate composition (moisture, protein, fiber, fat, ash, carbohydrate, energy, vitamin C, potassium, and tannin presence) were analyzed. A sensory evaluation was performed using a 9-point hedonic scale, and shelf-life studies (moisture content, sensory ratings, and peroxide values) were conducted over a 60-day period for all products except the smoothie. The findings revealed that ripe tendu pulp had a greater pulp yield and sugar content, making it more suitable for sweet applications, while the raw pulp was better suited for savory and preserved dishes. Among the products created, chutney and energy bars received the highest sensory ratings at 0 and 30 days of storage. Nonetheless, all products exhibited signs of deterioration after 45 days, as indicated by declining sensory acceptability and rising peroxide values, highlighting the limits of shelf stability. This study illustrates the practicality of integrating tendu fruit into diverse food formulations, thereby creating opportunities for improved nutrition and income generation through forest-based value addition.