Development of a natural spice-based herbal powder fortified with myrobalan and turmeric: formulation, sensory evaluation and antioxidant profiling

Herbs and spices such as black pepper, dried ginger, long pepper and cinnamon have been valued in Ayurveda for their antioxidant, digestive and bio-enhancing properties. In this study, a natural spice-based herbal powder was developed using these four spices as a constant base, with Myrobalan and turmeric incorporated at two increasing levels to obtain Variation I and Variation II. Twenty semi-trained panellists evaluated the products for appearance, colour, taste, texture, aroma and overall acceptability using a 5-point hedonic scale. The basic recipe scored highest for taste, texture, aroma and overall acceptability, while Variation I scored highest for appearance; one-way ANOVA showed no significant difference among the three formulations (F-calculated = 2.24 < F-table = 3.16, p = 0.116). Nutrient calculation showed a progressive rise in energy, carbohydrate, fat and polyphenol content from Basic to Variation II, with a slight decline in protein and fibre. Laboratory analysis of the Basic and Variation I samples revealed markedly higher total polyphenolic content (2150 vs 2980 mg/100 g) and antioxidant activity (75% vs 87%) in Variation I, confirming that fortification enhanced the functional properties of the product. The developed spice-based herbal powder was sensorially acceptable and nutritionally beneficial.