Formulation and Evaluation of Millet-Based Functional Foods Enriched with Moringa Oleifera Leaf Powder

Functional foods rich in micronutrients and bioactive compounds are increasingly recognized for their role in supporting metabolic and hormonal health. Moringa oleifera leaf powder is a nutrient-dense plant ingredient, while millets such as foxtail millet and ragi offer high dietary fibre and mineral content. The present study aimed to develop moringa powder–based functional recipes incorporating foxtail millet and ragi flour and to evaluate their nutritional composition and sensory acceptability. Three standardized recipes, moringa–foxtail millet chilla, banana moringa pancake, and ragi moringa idli, were developed. Nutritional composition was calculated using the Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT, 2017). Sensory evaluation was conducted by a semi-trained panel of 13 judges using a 10-point hedonic scale. All formulations demonstrated enhanced micronutrient density, particularly calcium (237.9–347.0 mg/serving) and iron (17.7–18.4 mg/serving). Sensory evaluation revealed high acceptability, with overall acceptability scores ranging from 9.00 ± 0.52 to 9.85 ± 0.36. Moringa powder can be successfully incorporated into millet-based traditional recipes to develop nutritionally enriched and sensory-acceptable functional foods. Key words: Moringa oleifera, functional foods, millet-based recipes, nutritional evaluation, sensory acceptability.