Formulation and evaluation of novel functional snack bar with amaranth, rolled oat, and unripened banana peel powder

The present pandemic situation has increased demand for functional foods that enhance all aged groups' people immunity against COVID-19. This factor has led to innovation in snack market because healthy and good quality snack products are lacking. In this study, attempt has been made to develop functional snack bar that is beneficial for malnourished population from various combinations of amaranth grain, oat, and banana peel powder. Among various combinations amaranth grain (60%), oats (25%) and banana peel powder (15%) was found better than other combinations in respect to organoleptic and nutritional quality. Oat and banana peel powder addition increased the contents of protein, mineral, β-glucan, dietary fibre, essential amino acid, phenolic, and antioxidant activity of functional snack bar. TGA analysis shows that active components present in it were stable even at high temperature which adds benefit to its functional property. Microbial studies of FSB revealed it could be stored up to 60 days without microbial contamination and acceptable by consumer. The cost of a functional snack bar was 9.57 per bar, which was less than market snack bar. This study showed that developed functional snack bar snack increases market's revenue and enables snack market to develop new type snack bar.