Preparation, Sensory and Nutritional Evaluation of Alternanthera sessilis Chips

Background: Alternanthera sessilis is a nutrient-rich leafy plant containing vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, flavonoids, and carotenoids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Materials and Methods: The present study aimed to develop value-added chips incorporated with Alternanthera sessilis leaf powder and evaluate their sensory, nutritional, and storage qualities. Sensory evaluation revealed that formulation T2 was the most preferred, with appearance (7.80±0.61), colour (7.90±0.85), flavour (8.25±0.71), taste (8.25±0.55), texture (8.20±0.76), and overall acceptability (8.20±0.89) scores, compared to the control sample (T0), which recorded 6.85±0.74, 7.50±0.76, 7.15±0.81, 7.45±0.68, 7.25±0.78, and 6.65±0.87, respectively. Results: Nutritional analysis showed that increasing the level of leaf powder enhanced protein content from 8.69% to 11.07%, total fibre from 4.18% to 13.77%, iron from 2.54% to 3.67%, and ash content from 3.23% to 5.08%. In contrast, fat decreased from 3.44% to 2.45%, moisture from 5.62% to 2.17%, carbohydrate from 75.12% to 65.71%, and energy value from 366.24 to 332.53 kcal/100 g. Storage studies conducted over 30 days indicated a gradual decline in sensory attributes due to moisture absorption and loss of crispness; however, the chips remained organoleptically acceptable throughout the storage period. Conclusion: The study concludes that incorporation of Alternanthera sessilis leaf powder significantly improves the nutritional profile and sensory quality of chips, making them a healthy functional snack with good storage stability and consumer acceptance.