EGGPLANT CURRY A new convenience food product Danielle Cushing Experimental Food Science, Fall 2011

What is it? Based on the Indian dish Baingan Bharta Mashed eggplant cooked with spiced tomato Vegetarian Flavorful and traditionally spicy My version Very similar, but not spicy

The Need Many ready-to-eat foods found on grocery store shelves Few vegetarian options Few ethnic options Many ethnic options that exist are high in calories, fat and sodium and healthy varieties are not marketed as such “Lean Cuisine,” “SmartOnes,” and other brands have expanded their options in recent years, but the majority of options remain American- and Italian-inspired dishes Newer concepts: Asian-Inspired – Sesame Chicken, Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Mexican-Inspired – Fiesta Quesadilla, Chicken Enchiladas Suiza No Indian-inspired dishes

Target Market Men and women In professional workforce Busy, often hurried, lifestyle Eating some meals alone Want more variety Need something quick and easy Want something low in calories and want Don’t want to compromise quantity or flavor

Sensory Evaluation Each domain of the sensory evaluation averaged between “Good” (5.0) and “Very Good” (6.0) when tested.

Ingredients Eggplant Tomatoes Onion Green peas Ginger Oil Cumin Coriander Turmeric

Processing Add eggplant and green peas to tomato and onion mixture. Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes. Combine tomato and onion mixture with cumin seeds. Add coriander and turmeric and continue to cook in saucepan. Chop and blend tomatoes, onion and ginger. Crack cumin seeds in saucepan with a little bit of oil. Combine eggplant and green peas. Bake whole eggplant at 400°F for 45 minutes. Peel skin and chop into small pieces. No processing except for natural cooking methods. After cooling, the eggplant curry is ready for preservation and packaging.

Preservation & Storage pH of Eggplant Curry = 4.90 Low acid A w of Eggplant Curry = 0.93 Susceptible to yeast and bacteria growth The curry is considered a semi-liquid, so we will use a heat treatment as a preservation barrier Pasteurization – finished curry is heated to 161°F (72°C) or higher for a minimum of 15 seconds Additional barrier needed Freezing – stored frozen Increases shelf-life to about 1 year Alternatively, the curry could be commercially sterilized because it is a low-acid food. Does not require additional barrier of freezing

Packaging Primary – microwave- safe plastic dish covered with a thin, clear plastic lining Actual barrier Meets production, distribution and storage demands Secondary – the plastic dish will be placed in a cardboard box Eye-catching and stackable Meets consumer, retailer and marketer needs Sample packaging:

ANY QUESTIONS?