Claims:
1. A fermented synbiotic chutney comprising cereal-pulse and probiotic organism wherein the ratio of the cereal to pulse is 7:3.

2. The chutney as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chutney optionally comprises other condiments and spices such as coriander, green chilly, curry leaves, sugar, salt, oil, black gram (urad) dal, mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves.

3. The chutney as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shelf life of the chutney is 2 weeks.

4. The chutney as claimed in claim 1 further comprises psyllium.

5. The chutney as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chutney is sour in taste.

6. The chutney as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chutney does not contain tamarind or other added acidulants.

7. A method for preparation of a fermented chutney comprising the blend of cereal-pulse comprises the steps of:
A. Preparing the fermented slurry
i. preparing a 5%-60% (w/v) slurry in water by mixing cereal and pulse flour in a ratio of 7:3;
ii. autoclaving of the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes
iii. fermenting the enzyme digested slurry with mixed culture of probiotic organisms at about 37°C, wherein duration of fermentation depends on the type of chutney).
B. Preparation of synbiotic chutney comprising pulverizing the ingredients of the chutney in a mixer grinder to a coarse consistency and mixed with fermented slurry in a ratio of 50:50 and seasoned with spices.

8. The chutney as claimed in preceding claims, wherein the probiotic organisms are Lactobacillus plantarum, L. rhamnosus or any other probiotic Lactobacillus species.

9. The chutney as claimed in preceding claims, wherein the cereal is selected from rice, millets like finger millet/ragi, pearl millet, great millet/sorghum.

10. The chutney as claimed in preceding claims, wherein the pulse is selected from soybean, moth bean, chickpea, bengal gram, white peas.

11. A dal-coconut chutney comprising the fermented ragi-soybean flour and probiotic organisms as prepared by the method of claim 7.

12. A method for preparation of dal-coconut chutney, wherein the method comprises-
A. preparing the fermented slurry:
a) preparing a 10% (w/v) ragi-soybean slurry in water by mixing cereal and pulse flour in a ratio of 7:3,
b) autoclaving the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes,
c) fermenting the enzyme digested slurry with mixed culture of probiotic organisms at 37°C for 16 hours.
B. Preparation of synbiotic dal-coconut chutney:
a) pulverizing groundnut, coconut, roasted Bengal gram, coriander, green chilly, curry leaves, sugar and salt in a mixer grinder to a coarse consistency and mixed with fermented slurry in a ratio of 50:50; and
b) seasoning of the chutney with oil, black gram (urad) dal, mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves.

13. A dates chutney comprising fermented ragi-soybean flour, psyllium and probiotic organisms.

14. A method for preparation of dates chutney, wherein the method comprises-
A. preparing fermented slurry:
a) preparing a 10% (w/v) ragi-soybean slurry in water by mixing cereal and pulse flour in a ratio of 7:3,
b) autoclaving the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes,
c) fermenting the enzyme digested slurry with mixed culture of probiotic organisms at 37°C for about 24 hours.
B. Preparation of synbiotic date chutney:
blending dates syrup, jaggery and the spices in mixer grinder along with psyllium and mixed with fermented slurry in a ratio of 50:50.
, Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates to preparation of condiments and sauces (chutneys) using a fermented cereal-pulse slurry and probiotic organisms, imparting both probiotic and prebiotic attributes to the product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
The food industry is keener towards development of healthy foods, and this is due to the growing awareness among consumers. Healthy food also referred to as “functional food” imparts beneficial health effects on specific body functions in addition to the traditional nutritional benefits. Those, containing bioactive compounds; dietary fibre and “friendly bacteria” known as probiotics, are well known examples of “functional foods”. Probiotics are defined as live microbial supplement which beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance. Optimum intake range for probiotics is about 108-1012 cells/day. A wide variety of microbial species are considered as potential probiotics; however, the Lactobacillus sp. and Bifidobacterium sp. are dominantly used in commercial probiotic foods, owing to their GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status. Commercially, probiotics are sold mainly in the form of fermented dairy products which act as carrier for probiotics. However, health concerns like milk protein allergy, lactose intolerance, high cholesterol content and high amount of saturated fatty acids in dairy-based foods have led to a shift towards non-dairy foods such as probiotic fermented cereals, fruits and vegetable juices. Additionally, non-dairy based probiotics give an advantage of product variety, flavor and nutrition. These are the prominent reasons that fermented products of non-dairy origin have gained an important place in the probiotic food market. Probiotic stability, viability and sensory characteristics are the major criteria for the success of any food product in the market and for that, the food matrix in which the probiotic organisms are present, plays a critical role. Thus, a suitable food system to deliver probiotics is of great importance and always desirable. Food materials like cereals and legumes, offer a good matrix for the cell viability and functionality.

Minelly Rodrigues, et al. (2014) in “Evaluation of the efficacy of malted, gamma irradiated and enzymatically processed finger millet soybean blends in supporting growth of a mixed culture of lactic acid bacteria”, LWT - Food Science and Technology, 1-7, discloses that an innovative Ragi (cereal)-Soybean (legume) combination can provide a good medium for enhanced growth of probiotic microorganisms (Lactobacillus sp.) and efficient in maintaining their stability during exposure to simulated gastrointestinal juices.

Ragi (Elusine coracana) is a millet and astonishingly low water consuming crop. It has high amount of iron & methionine and thirty times more calcium than rice. It controls Diabetes, reduces Cholesterol, is good Source of Protein and Amino Acids, treats Anemia and helps Digestion Additionally, being rich in nitriloside (Vitamin B17; a molecule that is specifically poisonous to only the cancer cell), finger millet grains can prove to be an efficient source in curing different cancers without any harmful side-effect. Soybean (Glycine max) is an annual crop which has very high protein content. Due to this feature it can be used to decrease protein malnutrition instead of using meat and to some extent milk. It has the highest content of beta-carotene (vitamin A) among different food grains.

Subhashree S and Pooja Patel (2013) in IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology, volume 3, issue 3, 01-04, reported “Cereal - pulse fermentations using soybean - an innovative experimentation”. It discloses combination of soybean with four different cereals like rice, wheat, ragi (finger millet) and oats. The ratio by mass of cereal to legume is roughly 70:30, in which proportion each provides about equal parts by mass of protein. Thus, a proportion of 70:30 (70 of cereals and 30 of soybean) was used for the combinations. Four combinations of rice, ragi, oats and wheat with soybean were prepared into 3 well known preparations, Dosa (a roasted pancake), Idli (steamed cake) and pakoras (a deep-fried snack).

The document discloses food products for example dosa, idli and pakoras comprising fermented cereal-pulse slurry in ratio of 7:3. Use of ragi and soya in a chutney is not novel, though use of fermented ragi-soya in chutney has not been disclosed in any prior art. However, based on the goodness of fermented ragi and soya, if a person skilled in art wishes to incorporate fermented ragi-soya in chutney, would try the ratio of 7:3 based on the above prior art document.

Gitishree Dasa (2016) et. al. in Frontiers in Life Science, volume 9, issue 4, 292–312 reported “Diversity of traditional and fermented foods of the seven sister states of India and their nutritional and nutraceutical potential: a review”. The article reported indigenous and fermented foods are an intrinsic part of diet of ethnic tribes. It is the oldest and most economical methods for development of a diversity of aromas, flavors, and textures as well as for food preservation and biological enrichment by manipulation of different microbial populations. Wild fruits and vegetables have more nutritional value than cultivated fruits and contribute to sustainable food production and security. Fermented products are region-specific and have their own unique substrates and preparation methods. Soybeans, bamboo shoots, and locally available vegetables are commonly fermented by most tribes. Traditional foods, wild fruits, and fermented fruits and vegetables contain a diverse group of prebiotic compounds that attract and stimulate the growth of probiotics.

Subhashree S. and Kavita M.S. in Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science, vol. 07, no. (1) 2019, pg. 05-16 reported “A study on suitable non- dairy food matrix for probiotic bacteria - a systematic review”. The article reported fermentation by probiotic lactic acid bacteria makes food beneficial to the gut and has the potential to be therapeutic. A systematic review of plant- based probiotic products was conducted to identify the most suitable and acceptable plant foods medium for probiotic bacteria. The study includes substrates from different food groups and combinations: cereals (22%), pulses (3%), cereal-pulse mix (5%), vegetables (19%), fruits (32%), combination (16%) and unconventional foods (3%). Soymilk was found to be the most promising among pulse-based substrates. The shelf life and viability of probiotics varied from 7 days to 4 weeks based on the initial count, temperature, time, strain of bacteria and substrate. Though a majority of the studies were carried out with fruit substrates, good probiotic count; improvements in nutritional properties; better acceptability and quicker fermentation time were found in cereal- based products. A soybean added probiotic product fermented by Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Lactobacillus acidophilus with added fruit flavors has been evaluated for consumer acceptability.

Panagiota Tsafrakidou et al., in Foods 2020, 9, 734 reported “Fermented cereal-based products: nutritional aspects, possible impact on gut microbiota and health implications”. The authors reported the role of cereal-based fermented products as probiotic carriers as well as their prebiotic potential.

Vinod Joshi et al. (2011) in International Journal of Food and Fermentation Technology, volume: 1, issue: 2 reported “Preparation and evaluation of instant chutney mix from lactic acid fermented vegetables”. The vegetables were fermented using sequential culture of lactic acid bacteria viz., Lactobacillus plantarum (NCDC 020), Pediococcus cerevisiae (NCDC 038) and Streptococcus lactis var. diacetylactis (NCDC 061) as per the conditions optimized earlier. Different combinations of fermented vegetables viz., carrot, radish and cucumber with anardana and amchoor powder were made separately and processed as per the routine practice. Different combinations under investigation were fermented vegetable powders + anardana or amchoor powders (1:1) along with only amchoor and anardana powder-based chutneys. All the instant chutney powders were prepared using common recipe. The titratable acidity of carrot, radish and cucumber based instant chutneys ranged from 0.72 to 1.24%. The ratio of fermented vegetable powders to the fruit powders influenced the titratable acidity, brix-acid ratio, pH and colour of the products. The physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of all the products prepared met the specifications of Fruit Products Order (FPO), Govt. of India.

CN100553487C discloses a chutney characterized in comprising bright red-hot pepper 55-65%, salt 6-8%, ginger 1-3%, garlic 2-4%, liquor 0.5-1.5%, white granulated sugar 6-10%, tomato 3-7%, monosodium glutamate 1-3% and water 10-14%. At first, bright red-hot pepper is cleaned to reject rotten part and impurity. After cleaning it is dried and added with salt, ginger, garlic and liquor and put into pulverizer and stir, put at constant temperature (16°C-18°C) for fermentation to make acid pepper in one month. In acid pepper, add white granulated sugar, tomato, salt, garlic, monosodium glutamate and water, and blend together in the colloid mill homogenizer, boil for 20-30 minutes, cool to 79°C - 80°C and pack promptly.

CN103039949B discloses radish chutney and a production process thereof. The radish chutney comprises the following raw materials: white radish, ginger, garlic, fresh red-hot pepper, white sugar, fermented glutinous rice, salt, monosodium glutamate, soybean paste or fermented soya bean, essential oil and fermented bean curd. The radish chutney provided by the invention becomes a novel seasoning with mellow and thick sauce, long-term delicate flavor and vinegar-pepper taste by using the characteristics of fresh, sour and cool pickled radish, combining smells of the soybean paste or the fermented soya bean, and overcoming the characteristics of strong and salty soybean paste or fermented soya bean through technical innovation. The total salt content of the radish chutney is about 6%, and the radish chutney not only is a low-salt-content seasoning, but also is suitable for being used as a small material and a mixed material to be eaten together with rice or bread.

In view of the numerous reports/publications on probiotic/healthy and fermented chutneys, we would need to show the requirement for the present invention. The drawbacks of such fermented chutneys and how the present invention seeks to overcome such problems.

Traditional processes of making chutneys do not have probiotic components and they do not make use of soybean or ragi for preparation. CN103039949B, and Subhashree S and Pooja Patel disclose a soybean-cereal based fermented food- we understand that this combination of soybean-cereal has not been used to make chutneys which makes the invention novel, however, to establish inventive step we need to show the difficulty or the benefit of the present process. The chutney products, made from this novel blend of fermented cereal and legume have a potential to give a competitive advantage in the world of probiotic market.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION:
It is an object of the present invention to provide a probiotic chutney comprising fermented slurry and improved dietary content, hence synbiotic; and the method for preparation thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a synbiotic chutney comprising blend of cereal-pulse in a ratio of 7:3.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a synbiotic chutney comprising fermented cereal-pulse and probiotic organism.

In an aspect of the present invention, the synbiotic chutney comprises blend of cereal-pulse in a ratio of 7:3.

In an aspect, a method for preparing synbiotic chutney comprising the fermented cereal-pulse blend and probiotic organism is provided, where the method comprises the steps:

A. Use of fermented slurry:
(Prepared as follows-
1. preparation of a 5%-60% (w/v) slurry in water by mixing cereal and pulse flour in a ratio of 7:3,
2. autoclaving of the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes,
3. fermenting the enzyme digested slurry with mixed culture of probiotic organisms at 37°C, wherein duration of fermentation depends on the type of chutney.)

B. Preparation of synbiotic chutney:
The ingredients of the chutney are pulverized in a mixer grinder to a coarse consistency, and mixed with fermented slurry in a ratio of 50:50 and seasoned with spices.

It is another aspect; the present invention provides a method for preparation of a dal-coconut chutney comprising the fermented ragi-soybean flour and probiotic organisms and the method for preparation comprises the following steps:

A. Use of fermented slurry:
(Prepared as follows-
1. preparing a 10% (w/v) ragi-soybean slurry in water by mixing millet (ragi) and pulse (soybean) flour in a ratio of 7:3,
2. autoclaving of the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes,
3. fermenting the enzyme digested slurry with mixed culture of probiotic organisms at 37°C for about 16 hours.)

B. Preparation of synbiotic dal-coconut chutney:
1. pulverizing groundnut, coconut, roasted Bengal gram, coriander, green chilly, curry leaves, sugar and salt in a mixer grinder to a coarse consistency and mixed with fermented slurry in a ratio of 50:50.
2. seasoning of the chutney with oil, black gram (urad) dal, mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves.

It is another aspect to provide a dates chutney comprising fermented ragi-soybean flour, psyllium and probiotic organisms and the method for preparation comprises the following steps:

A. Use of fermented slurry:
(Prepared as follows-
1. preparing a 10% (w/v) ragi-soybean slurry in water by mixing cereal and pulse flour in a ratio of 7:3,
2. autoclaving the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes,
3. fermenting the enzyme digested slurry with mixed culture of probiotic organisms at 37°C, wherein duration of fermentation is 24 hours.)

B. Preparation of synbiotic date chutney:
Blending dates syrup, jaggery and the spices in mixer grinder along with psyllium and mixed with fermented slurry in a ratio of 50:50.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1. Spider diagram of sensory analysis for Synbiotic dal-coconut chutney by a trained sensory panel. Sensory parameters taken into consideration are appearance, colour, odour, taste, after taste, consistency and overall acceptability at 4 different time points of fermentation viz. 12, 16, 24 and 38 hrs. Values for each parameter are represented by average score.

Figure 2. Spider diagram of sensory analysis for Synbiotic dates chutney by a trained sensory panel. Sensory parameters taken into consideration are appearance, colour, odour, taste, after taste, consistency and overall acceptability at 4 different time points of fermentation viz. 12, 16, 24 and 38 hrs. Values for each parameter are represented by average score.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention is directed to novel chutney products and the method of preparation thereof.

The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the present disclosure is provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular various embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of various embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising" used herein specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, members, components, and/or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, members, components, and/or groups thereof. Also, expressions such as "at least one of," when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list.

Chutney – a spicy sauce made from fruits, cereals, legumes, vegetables used as a condiment.

Ragi - A type of grain, Elusine coracana, cultivated as a cereal in arid areas of Africa and Asia. Also known as millet grain.

Dal- A pulse (or legumes) and usually refers to split grain used in Indian cookery. In the present invention, pulses and legumes have been used interchangeably.

Described herein are a novel fermented chutney product and the method for preparation thereof.

Traditionally prepared chutneys lack probiotic component and are not rich in dietary fibre. Most traditional Indian chutneys contain tamarind as one of its ingredients, which imparts the sourness. Even though tamarind has some health benefits, it comes along with some reported side effects as well. Tamarind can cause allergic reactions viz. rashes, itching, inflammation, stinging sensation, light headedness, fainting, vomiting, shortness of breath, etc. by consuming it. It can damage tooth enamel too. It can promote gallstone formation and induce acid reflux.

In view of such growing demand for health food, the present invention provides alternative health foods, particularly fermented chutneys which have various advantages ranging from acting as a digestion aid to improving gut health by supplementing probiotic organisms.

The fermented chutney of the present invention comprises a blend of cereal-pulse, wherein the blend of cereal-pulse is in a ratio of 7:3. The method for preparation of a fermented chutney comprising the blend of cereal-pulse comprises the steps of:

A. Use of fermented slurry:
(Prepared as follows-
1. Preparing a 5%-60% (w/v) slurry in water by mixing cereal and pulse flour in a ratio of 7:3,
2. autoclaving of the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes,
3. fermenting the enzyme digested slurry with mixed culture of probiotic organisms such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus at about 37°C, wherein duration of fermentation depends on the type of chutney.)

B. Preparation of synbiotic chutney:
Pulverizing ingredients of chutney in a mixer grinder to a coarse consistency, and mixed with fermented slurry in a ratio of 50:50 and seasoned with spices.

Cereal grains according to the present invention can be selected from rice, millets (like finger millet/ragi, pearl millet, great millet/sorghum). Some cereal grains are made of complex carbohydrates while other have simple carbohydrates. It is known that complex carbohydrates take longer to breakdown and have a higher content of dietary fibres. Inclusion of grains having higher content of dietary fibres is therefore desirable. The cereal grains- millet and sorghum are most preferred millet.

Pulses according to the present invention can be selected from soybean, moth bean, chickpea, bengal gram, white peas. Pulses have high nutritional value in terms of both proteins and fibres. The preferred pulses are soybean and bengal gram. Either of the above pulses can be used, the pulse used in present invention is soybean in combination with ragi, it has been proved to provide a good medium for enhanced growth of probiotic microorganisms.

The slurry comprising the cereal and pulses is typically between 5% to 60% (w/v) in water.

The probiotics used in the present method can be selected from Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a synbiotic chutney (combination product of probiotic and prebiotic properties) comprising fermented cereal-pulse. The cereal-pulse slurry acts as a substrate for the probiotic organisms where 1 gm of synbiotic chutney provides probiotic cells’ count in the range of 109.

Generally, the taste of traditionally prepared chutneys is not impacted for 2-3 days under refrigeration, and can be stored for a week at the most.

It was observed that the taste of the fermented chutney of the present invention is not impacted and the chutney has a longer shelf life and tastes fresh even after two weeks of storage in refrigerator. Therefore, the fermented chutney has a long shelf life and such long shelf life can be attributed to the low pH and the probiotic organisms. It was found that the probiotic organisms prevent and retard the growth of food spoiling bacteria.

In an embodiment the present invention provides a method for preparation of a dal-coconut chutney comprising the fermented ragi-soybean flour and probiotic organisms and the method for preparation comprises the following steps:

A. Use of fermented slurry:
(Prepared as follows-
1. preparing a 10% (w/v) ragi-soybean slurry in water by mixing millet (ragi) and pulse (soybean) flour in a ratio of 7:3,
2. autoclaving of the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes,
3. fermenting the enzyme digested slurry with mixed culture of probiotic organisms at 37°C for about 16 hours.)

B. Preparation of synbiotic dal-coconut chutney:
1. pulverizing groundnut, coconut, roasted Bengal gram, coriander, green chilly, curry leaves, sugar and salt in a mixer grinder to a coarse consistency and mixed with fermented slurry of step A in a ratio of 50:50.
2. seasoning of the chutney with oil, black gram (urad) dal, mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves.

It is another embodiment the present invention provides a dates chutney comprising fermented ragi-soybean flour, psyllium and probiotic organisms.

A. Use of fermented slurry:
(Prepared as follows-
1. preparing a 10% (w/v) ragi-soybean slurry in water by mixing cereal and pulse flour in a ratio of 7:3,
2. autoclaving the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes,
3. fermenting the enzyme digested slurry with mixed culture of probiotic organisms at 37°C, wherein duration of fermentation is 24 hours.)

B. Preparation of synbiotic dates chutney:
Blending dates syrup, jaggery and the spices in mixer grinder along with psyllium and mixed with fermented slurry in a ratio of 50:50.

To increase the dietary fibre content, the fermented chutney may contain externally added psyllium. Apart from its health benefits, psyllium provides a good consistency to chutney.

The present invention provides a process for preparation of synbiotic chutney, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

A. Use of fermented slurry:
(Prepared as follows-
1. preparation of a 5%-60% (w/v) slurry in water by mixing cereal and pulse flour in a ratio of 7:3;
2. autoclaving the above mixture and digestion with enzymes for 1 hour at 37°C, wherein the enzymes used are Amylase, Alcalase and Amyloglucosidase enzymes,
3. enzyme digested slurry is then fermented with mixed culture of Lactobacillus plantarum and L. rhamnosus at 37°C, wherein duration of fermentation depends on the type of chutney.)

B. Preparation of synbiotic chutney:
Pulverizing the ingredients of the chutney in a mixer grinder to a coarse consistency and mixed with fermented slurry in a ratio of 50:50 and seasoned with spices.

The present invention will be illustrated with few typical examples:

Example 1: Use of fermented slurry
Prepared as follows- A 10% (w/v) slurry is prepared in water by mixing Ragi and Soybean flour in a ratio of 7:3. This mixture is autoclaved and digested with Amylase (Advance Enzymes, India), Alcalase (Novozyme, Denmark) and Amyloglucosidase enzymes (Advance Enzymes, India) for 1 hour at 37 °C. Enzyme digested slurry is then fermented with mixed culture of Lactobacillus plantarum and L. rhamnosus at 37°C.

Example 2: Preparation of synbiotic Dal-coconut Chutney
Enzyme digested ragi-soybean slurry was fermented for different hours viz.12, 16, 24 and 38 hrs. One particular fermented slurry was incorporated in 3 different proportions (20%, 50% and 70%) with other ingredients, to prepare three variants. The overall acceptability score was found to be 5.75, 7.40 and 5.08 for 20%, 50% and 70% respectively. Hence the ratio of 50:50 for fermented slurry and other ingredients was used for further recipe standardization.

In this ratio (50:50), fermented slurries for different hours (12, 16, 24 and 38) were incorporated to find the best fermentation time based upon sensory analysis (overall acceptability) and probiotic counts.

Dal-coconut chutney containing 38 hrs. fermented slurry was scored very low compared to others, whereas scores of others were close to each other. Therefore, chutney variants with 12, 16 and 24 hrs. fermented slurry were enumerated for probiotic count.

On day 0, chutney incorporated with 12 hrs. fermented slurry was found to have least probiotic counts, other variants with 16 hrs. and 24 hrs. fermented slurry were found to have similar counts. After a week too, counts of 16 and 24 hrs. fermented slurry were acceptable as per recommended daily intake.

Table 1
Probiotic Count of Chutney Containing Fermented Slurry
12 hrs. 16 hrs. 24 hrs.
0-day count (cfu/gm) 3.3x108 1.3x109 1.5x109
1-week count (cfu/gm) 2.7x108 7.6x108 1x109

Considering sensory score and probiotic count, 16 hrs. fermented slurry was found to be best to prepare synbiotic dal-coconut chutney as per recipe.

Groundnut, Coconut, Roasted Bengal gram, Coriander, Green Chilly, Curry leaves, Sugar and salt were pulverized in a mixer grinder to a coarse consistency and mixed with 16 hrs. fermented slurry. This chutney was seasoned with oil, black gram (urad) dal, Mustard seeds, Asafetida and Curry leaves.

Figure 1 provides the sensory analysis for Synbiotic dal-coconut chutney by a trained sensory panel. Sensory parameters taken into consideration are appearance, colour, odour, taste, after taste, consistency and overall acceptability at 4 different time points of fermentation viz. 12, 16, 24 and 38 hours. Values for each parameter are represented by average score.

Example 3: Preparation of synbiotic Dates Chutney
Enzyme digested ragi-soybean slurry was fermented for different hours viz.12, 16, 24 and 38 hrs. One particular fermented slurry was incorporated in 3 different proportions (20%, 50% and 80%) with other ingredients, to prepare three variants. The overall acceptability score was found to be 6.25, 8.00 and 4.75 for 20%, 50% and 80% respectively. Hence the ratio of 50:50 for fermented slurry and other ingredients was used for further recipe standardization.

In this ratio (50:50), fermented slurries for different hours (12, 16, 24 and 38) were incorporated to find the best fermentation time based upon sensory analysis (overall acceptability) and probiotic counts.

Dates chutney containing 24 hrs. fermented slurry was scored highest compared to others, whereas scores of others were close to each other and had sensory acceptance. All chutney variants with 12, 16, 24 and 38 hrs. fermented slurry were enumerated for probiotic count as shown in Table 2.

Figure 2 provides a spider diagram of sensory analysis for Synbiotic dates chutney by a trained sensory panel. Sensory parameters taken into consideration are appearance, colour, odour, taste, after taste, consistency and overall acceptability at 4 different time points of fermentation viz. 12, 16, 24 and 38 hrs. Values for each parameter are represented by average score.

On day 0, chutneys incorporated with 12, 16 and 38 hrs. fermented slurry were found to have probiotic counts lower than chutney variant with 24 hrs. fermentation slurry. Even after a week, count of 24 hrs. was highest and acceptable as per recommended daily intake.

Table 2
Probiotic Count of Chutney Containing Fermented Slurry
12 hrs. 16 hrs. 24 hrs. 38 hrs.
0-day count (cfu/gm) 2x108 9.5x108 1.26x109 6.3x108
1-week count (cfu/gm) 8.7x107 1.7x108 8.6x108 3x108

Considering sensory score and probiotic count, 24 hrs. fermented slurry was found to be best to prepare synbiotic dates chutney as per recipe.

Dates syrup, jaggery, 24 hrs. fermented slurry and all the spices were blended well in mixer grinder along with psyllium to prepare dates chutney.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION:
Chutney prepared with present novel methodology have both probiotic & prebiotic properties and thus impart positive health impacts by helping digest food more efficiently, strengthening immune system; protecting from pathogenic diseases.