Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Compounds of Bael (<i>Aegle marmelos</i>) and Development of Functional Food Products

Abstract

Aegle marmelos, widely known as bael, belongs to the Rutaceae family. It is one of the most inexpensive and appealing fruits, considered to be an essential source of natural antioxidants and bioactive components. The major purpose of the research study was to investigate the nutritional composition and bioactive constituents of bael pulp, as well as to develop new value-added products that maintain the maximum quantity of nutrients. The developed food products were subjected to evaluate sensory attributes according to a nine-point hedonic scale. It was found that the moisture, protein, fat, crude fiber, and total ash content of bael fruit pulp were 61.20%, 2.48%, 0.47%, 3.04%, and 1.29%, respectively. When compared to the catechin standard, the antioxidant activity of such extract indicated good antioxidant capacity, with an IC 50 value of 75.68 µg/ml for methanol extract. Vitamin C content was about 10.21 mg/100g. Besides, total flavonoid and phenolic contents were found as 140 mg of Quercetin Equivalent (QE)/g and 106.65 mg of Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE)/g, respectively. Results of sensory attributes revealed that there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in color, taste, and overall acceptability between bael murabba and bael bar. The overall acceptability of bael murabba (6.7) and bael bar (7.1) is acceptable in quality, but their specific characteristics were found slightly different by the test panelists. These products might be applicable for the treatment of several diseases like atherosclerosis, diabetes, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer, tumor, and osteoporosis.