Philippine Journal of Crop Science (PJCS) August 2013, 38 (2):1–8 Full Paper

Copyright 2013, Crop Science Society of the Philippines

Acceptability, Shelf Life and Nutritional Quality of Moringa-Supplemented

Rice Crackers
Rosaly V. Manaois*, Amelia V. Morales, Riza G. Abilgos-Ramos
Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz,
3119 Nueva Ecija, Philippines. *Corresponding author, rvmanaois@email.philrice.gov.ph

Moringa oleifera Lam. or malunggay is a locally available crop with excellent nutritional and health
qualities. The use of this vegetable as a dietary supplement to rice cracker was evaluated. Leaves were
added in fresh and powdered forms at different levels: 1, 2 and 5% (wt/wt rice). Laboratory sensory
evaluation showed that all samples were greenish and tasted grassy but those with up to 2% fresh
moringa (MF) or powdered moringa (MP) were as crunchy and acceptable as the control. Consumer
survey of Grade 6 pupils (11-12 yr, n=30) showed 100% acceptability of crackers with up to 2% MP, while
adult consumers (18-54 yr, n=30) found the sample with 1% MF comparable with the control and favored it
over the other treatments. The best treatments, 1% MF and 2% MP, had significantly higher beta-carotene,
vitamin C, and calcium levels than the control. Water activity values of crackers with 1% MF and 2% MP
remained below 0.6 up to 3 wk and microbial counts were within acceptable limits. Sensory scores were
comparable with those of the control even at the end of the storage test. These results show that
malunggay can be used in the development of nutrient-enriched rice crackers with good storage quality
and high consumer acceptability.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera Lam., microbial load, nutritional properties, rice crackers, sensory evaluation

INTRODUCTION in foods has been shown to effectively enhance the

Moringa oleifera Lam. is a crop that has recently
caught the attention of the scientific community here
and abroad due to its excellent nutritional and health
qualities. Moringa, locally known as malunggay, is
native to subtropical regions in the world where it has
been used as a low-cost solution to
undernourishment, as well as remedy to common
ailments of the locals. According to Fahey (2005), all
parts of the tree, particularly the leaves, are edible
and with reported nutritional, prophylactic and
therapeutic uses. These are attributed to the high
levels of macro- and micronutrients and phytonutrients
in M. oleifera. Hence, moringa is dubbed as a “Miracle
Tree”. The leaves have the highest amount of calcium
and phosphorus among vegetables (Prabhakar and
Hebbar 2008). Known to be a rich source of vitamin C,
B-vitamins, potassium and iron, the leaves also have
been shown to reduce total cholesterol and control
triglyceride levels in rats due to their high beta-
carotene content (Oinam et al. 2012). Makkar and
Becker (1997) also reported that the leaves contain all
essential and sulfur-containing amino acids at levels
higher than the FAO/WHO/UNO recommendation for
a 2-5 yr old child.
Due to their excellent nutritional properties, moringa
leaves should be considered as a supplementing
ingredient in different food preparations. Addition of
nutrient-rich indigenous vegetables, such as moringa,
nutrient profile of the foods without compromising
quality and consumer acceptability (Abilgos 1996).
Local food processors have formulated various noodle
products with added moringa (Arceo 2010; Esconde
2010; Demetillo 2008; Pacris 2008).
Rice cracker is a popular local snack food consumed
by children and adults and is normally sold in schools,
although it is classified as ‘junk food’ or food with little
nutritional value. In a country where malnutrition
problems in the form of protein-energy malnutrition
and micronutrient (vitamin A, iron) deficiencies remain
prevalent, fortification of processed foods that are
widely consumed by at-risk groups is encouraged by
the government. Hence, the Sangkap Pinoy Seal
Program under the Philippine Food Fortification Act of
2000 is being implemented. Processing of value-
added food products with enhanced nutritional and
health benefits through the use of nutrient-rich crops
is one of the economical measures carried out to help
address these nutritional concerns (Gupta and
Prakash 2011. Batista et al. 2011).
In countries where moringa is indigenous, the leaves
were tested as an inexpensive ingredient to boost the
nutritional quality of various food products (Dachana
et al. 2010; de la Mar 2012; Duan et al. 2011a, 2011b;
Liu et al. 2011; Liu et al. 2012; Owusu et al. 2011;
Sengev et al. 2012). In these studies, moringa used
was either fresh or dried, and the base ingredients of

RV Manaois et al
the products were from crops other than rice – wheat,
oat, cassava or sweet potato. To our knowledge, there
were also no reports on the effects of supplementation
with leaves of moringa or other crops on the sensory
properties and microbial load of the products during
storage. Hence, we explored the utilization of
powdered and fresh moringa leaves as supplementing
ingredient in rice crackers. The appropriate levels of
supplementation of moringa leaves were determined,
and their effects on the sensory characteristics,
consumer acceptability, and storage quality were
assessed.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sample Preparation
Moringa additives. For the preparation of powdered
moringa (MP) leaves, matured leaves were harvested
in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines in December 2010.
Diseased and damaged leaves were discarded. The
leaves were washed several times with tap water, air-
dried for 3 days, pan-roasted for 2 min, and ground
using a multifunctional food processor. The MP was
packed in polyethylene (PE) bags and kept at 4-6°C
until use. For the fresh additives, fresh leaves were
collected from the same trees on the same day of the
preparation of rice crackers. After the leaflets were
removed from the petiole, mature leaves were
collected, weighed, and slurried with three parts
distilled water using an osterizer.
Rice cracker preparation. Preparation of rice crackers
was conducted at the Palusapis Fish Cracker Plant
Facility, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. All ingredients were
purchased locally. NSIC Rc130, a non-glutinous rice
variety, was steeped in water for 30 min and then wet-
milled. The MP and fresh moringa (MF) slurry were
added at 1, 2 and 5% (wt/wt) of the rice after wet
milling. Addition of MF was based on dry weight of the
leaves, and the levels of incorporation were selected
based on the results of trial experiments previously
conducted. The mixture was added with other rice
cracker ingredients (water, salt, lye, and flavorings;
food color was added for the control only) and
steamed at around 120°C for 15 min. The steamed
mixture was passed through an extruder and the
extrudates were separated manually. The extrudates
were sundried for 8 h and oven-dried for another 4 h.
The dried extrudates were deep-fried first at around
180°C for 2 s and then at 200°C for about 5 s or after
the extrudates were completely puffed or expanded.
The rice crackers were cooled and packed in PE bags
until analyzed.
Quality Analyses
Physicochemical analysis. Crude ash, crude fat, crude
protein, and carbohydrates were determined based on
standard AOAC methods (AOAC 2005). The total
carbohydrate content was determined by difference.
2 Moringa-Supplemented Rice Crackers
Water activity and microbial load determination. Water
activity (aw) was measured using a calibrated Lufft
Durotherm aw-Wert-Messer water activity meter. Total
plate (TPC), mold, bacterial, and coliform counts were
determined by standard plate count techniques.
Sensory evaluation
Laboratory. Sensory evaluation was carried out using
a 15-cm unstructured scale scorecard with 10 semi-
trained panelists evaluating the properties of the
crackers, namely, color (yellow and green), pleasant
odor/aroma, off-odor (rancid), texture (hardness,
crunchiness), taste (fish cracker, grassy), off-taste
(rancid) and overall acceptability. For off-odor and off-
flavor, ratings that significantly differed with the control
score were considered unacceptable. For the other
attributes except color, a mean score of at least 7.5
cm, the halfway point of the scale, was considered
acceptable.
Consumer. Thirty Grade 6 pupils (11-12 yr) of
Maligaya Elementary School, Brgy. Maligaya, Science
City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija and 30 PhilRice
employees (18-54 yr) were randomly recruited as
consumer panelists. They were presented with coded
samples and asked to rate the products based on
their preference and acceptability. Consumer
acceptance was determined using a 2-point hedonic
scale (yes/no) and each product was given a rating.
Preference was determined by ranking of samples,
with no tied answers allowed. Purchase intent was
determined by asking the respondents whether they
would be willing to purchase the products if these
were available in the market, and if they were aware
that the samples have additional nutrients.
Nutritional analysis. The control sample and the
treatments with the highest acceptability ratings were
subjected to micronutrient analyses. Iron and calcium
were determined using inductively coupled plasma
spectrometry, beta-carotene using high performance
liquid chromatography, and vitamin C by titrimetry.
Shelf Life Determination
The control rice cracker and the treatments with the
highest acceptability scores were stored in sealed PE
bags and kept at ambient temperature (26-28°C). The
MC, aw, microbial load and sensory properties were
monitored weekly up to 3 wk of storage.
Statistical Analysis
T-test, ANOVA, and subsequent comparison of
means using LSD were determined using SAS
statistical software v. 9.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC,
USA). Storage data were analyzed using factorial
ANOVA and means were compared and using
Tukey’s HSD test. All tests were done in duplicates at
p =0.05 level of significance.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Physicochemical and microbial analysis

The proximate compositions of rice cracker samples
are shown in Table 1. The crude ash content of the
samples was 3.64-4.03%. Increase in mineral content
in the form of crude ash was observed after addition
of 5% MP or MF. Minerals that were reported to be
present in moringa leaves at higher levels than known
sources were calcium, iron, and potassium (Fahey
2005). In flat noodles, the 5% level of incorporation
resulted in twofold increase in calcium level and slight
improvement in phosphorus content (Abilgos 1996).

Rice crackers with different levels and forms of

moringa additives had crude fat content ranging
17.03-22.76% (Table 1). Increasing the level of
moringa reduced the crude fat content of the crackers,
particularly in samples with MP. This contradicts
reports showing increasing crude fat content with
increasing moringa supplementation in wheat bread
(Sengev et al. 2012) and flat noodles (Abilgos 1996).
In wheat cookies, however, no significant increase in
crude fat content was observed after supplementation
with 5, 10 and 15% moringa leaf powder (Dachana et
al. 2010).

Crude protein of rice crackers ranged 5.28- 6.76%,

with improvement in samples with MP starting at 1%
level (Table 1). Sengev et al. (2012) also observed
improvements in crude protein levels of wheat breads
supplemented with moringa leaf powder at the same
supplementation level. In crackers with MF, increase
in protein level was noted only at 5% incorporation.
Abilgos (1996), who used blanched moringa puree in
flat noodles, reported minimal but significant
improvement in crude protein at 5% supplementation.
All samples had water activity below 0.4 and no
coliform was detected data not shown. Aw determines
the lower limit of available water for microbial growth,
thus predicting the growth of spoilage microorganisms
during processing and storage. Foods with aw of at
least 0.6 are susceptible to microbial spoilage (deMan
1999).
Sensory evaluation
Figure 1 shows rice crackers prepared with different
levels of moringa. All moringa-supplemented samples
were noticeably green, even at 1% incorporation.
Moringa powder used in wheat breads also
significantly changed the color of the product at the
same supplementation level (Sengev et al. 2012).
Addition of moringa leaves did not affect the textural
properties, notably the crunchiness of rice crackers
(Table 2). Grassy taste was observed in all
treatments, similar to the findings of Sengev et al.
(2012). Despite of this, rice crackers with up to 2%
moringa leaves, fresh or dried, were as acceptable as
the control. Grassy taste often limits the application of
Figure 1. Rice crackers (A) with fresh and (B) powdered
moringa supplemented at different levels: (a) 0,
(b) 1, (c) 2, and (d) 5% (wt/wt rice).
leafy vegetables in various foods, as shown in this
study. Hence, it is a challenge for food formulators to
come up with optimum levels of supplementation that
would deliver substantial amounts of nutrients without
adversely affecting the taste of the product. In
cookies, up to 10% dried moringa leaves could be
used to prepare an acceptable product (Dachana et
al. 2010), while the use of only 1% moringa powder
already reduced the overall acceptability rating of
polvoron (de la Mar 2012). In flat noodles, the sample
with the lowest substitution level (5%) was found to be
the most acceptable (Abilgos 1996).
Consumer respondents representing 11-12 yr-old
children (n=30) consisted of 47% male and 53%
female, while adult subjects (18-54 yr-old) were
composed of 27% male and 73% female (Table 3).
Both children (83%) and adult (93%) consumers
indicated taste as the most important quality attribute
of rice crackers. For the younger respondents, taste
was followed by crunchiness, with 63% of the total
responses. Other attributes which the young panelists
found important were color (20%) and nutritional
content (10%). For adult panelists, color, crunchiness
and aroma were also important, with 27, 23 and 10%
responses, respectively. Pooled consumer responses

RV Manaois et al 3
Table 1. Proximate composition of moringa-supplemented rice crackers.
Treatment/Level of
Moisture Crude Ash Crude Fat Crude Protein Total Carbohydrates
moringa (g/100g rice)
b c ab d
Control 0 3.87±0.0 3.76±0.0 21.25±0.1 5.36±0.2 70.44±0.2bc
Fresh (MF)
1 3.82±0.1b 3.66±0.0ef 22.76±0.4a 5.28±0.0d 69.16±0.4c
2 3.48±0.0c 3.74±0.0cd 21.46±0.1ab 5.44±0.2d 70.10±0.1bc
5 3.16±0.0d 4.03±0.0a 17.03±0.0c 6.76±0.1a 72.72±0.0a
Powdered (MP)
1 4.32±0.0a 3.64±0.0f 20.46±0.2ab 5.70±0.1c 71.08±0.1abc
2 3.50±0.1c 3.70±0.0de 20.12±2.6b 5.82±0.0c 71.07±2.5abc
5 3.12±0.0d 3.96±0.0b 17.73±0.4c 6.50±0.0b 72.36±0.4ab
Mean values with the same letter within a column are not significantly different at p=0.05 (n=2).

Table 2. Laboratory sensory attributes of moringa-supplemented rice crackers.

Mean sensory scores (n=10)
Sensory attribute Fresh (MF) Powdered (MP) .
0%
1% 2% 5% 1% 2% 5%
Color
Yellow1 11.72a 3.59bc 0.63d 1.27cd 3.04bcd 3.79b 0.59d
Green1 0.04d 3.91c 9.70b 12.59a 3.52c 4.22c 8.72b
Odor/Aroma2 6.47a 6.50a 6.23a 5.80a 6.63a 7.15a 5.69a
Off-odor3 0.10a 0.10a 0.04a 0.04a 0.10a 0.04a 0.10a
Hardness4 5.30a 6.14a 6.62a 7.80a 6.96a 6.33a 7.07a
Crunchiness5 11.28a 10.92a 10.65a 10.27a 9.84a 10.69a 9.99a
Roughness6 3.47a 4.16a 4.58a 6.27a 6.07a 4.74a 4.43a
Taste
Fish-cracker1 8.70a 6.65ab 5.28bc 3.34c 5.82abc 6.46ab 5.43bc
Grassy1 0.10d 2.74c 6.35b 10.79a 2.84c 3.40c 7.96b
Off-taste3 0.06a 0.06a 0.05a 0.05a 0.06a 0.05a 0.06a
Overall acceptability7 10.87a 10.65a 8.99a 6.22b 9.57a 9.38a 6.56b
Mean values with the same letter within the same row are not significantly different at p=0.05 (n=10).
1 2 3
0= weak; 15= very intense 0= none; 15= very intense 0= none; 15= very perceptible
4 5 6
0= soft; 15= very hard 0= soggy; 15= very crunchy 0= smooth; 15= very rough
7
0= dislike extremely; 15=like extremely

Table 3. Consumers’ profile and perception of most important quality attributes of rice crackers.
Gender (%) Frequency of Responses (%)
Panelist Nutritional
Male Female Taste Crunchiness Color Aroma
content
Children (11-12 yr, n=30) 47 53 83 63 20 - 10
Adults (18-54 yr, n=30) 27 73 93 23 27 10 -

showed that crunchiness and color were the most
important quality attributes of rice crackers aside from
taste. These results validate the findings of other
researchers (Drewnowski 1997; Liu et al. 2011;
Meilgaard et al. 2007) who reported that taste and
appearance, which includes color, are the main
influences in consumer selection and purchase of any
food product.
Table 4 summarizes the results of the preference and
consumer acceptance tests. Percentage acceptability
of the control and supplemented samples ranged
66.7-100%, according to the child panelists. For
samples with MP, all pupils considered the crackers
with up to 2% MP acceptable and gave them ratings
comparable with the control. Use of 5% MP in rice
crackers resulted in decreased acceptability (73.3%),
which could be ascribed to the increased greenness
of the sample (Table 2). As mentioned previously,
color was considered by the child panelists as among
the top quality attribute of rice crackers (Table 3), and
most of them preferred the product’s typical yellow
color.
Among samples with MF, the cracker with 1%
supplementation level was the most acceptable to the
younger subjects and received a rating comparable
with the control (Table 4). This could be attributed to
reduced fish-cracker and evident grassy taste, and
increased greenness of the products with higher
levels of moringa, as previously observed by
laboratory panelists (Table 2).
Majority of the pupils signified intention of buying all
the products if these were commercially available
(Table 4). Positive responses generally increased for
samples with moringa after the panelists learned that
these were with added nutrients, with highest increase
(26.7%) in purchase intent score for 2% MF, from
60% to 86.7%. Overall acceptability scores of samples

4 Moringa-Supplemented Rice Crackers

Table 4. Preference scores and consumer acceptance of moringa-supplemented rice crackers.
Mean sensory scores
Item Fresh (MF) . Powdered (MP) .
0%
1% 2% 5% 1% 2% 5%
Children (11-12 yr, n=30)
1. % Acceptabilitya 96.7 93.3 66.7 66.7 100.0 100.0 73.3
2. Ratingb 4.2 3.5 2.7 2.8 3.6 3.9 3.3
3. % Willingness
to buy ifa
available in the market 96.7 93.3 60.0 73.3 100.0 100.0 86.7
with additional nutrients 96.7 100.0 86.7 86.7 93.3 100.0 100.0
4. Rank Scorec 1.7 3.1 3.2 3.4 1.9 2.0 3.1
5. Rankingc 1 4.5 6 7 2 3 4.5
Adults (18-54 yr, n=30)
1. % Acceptabilitya 93.3 80.0 80.0 66.7 86.7 93.3 53.3
2. Ratingb 3.8 3.6 2.4 3.1 3.2 3.5 2.8
3. % Willingness
to buy ifa
available in the market 90.0 73.3 66.7 53.3 80.0 93.3 53.3
with additional nutrients 100.0 93.3 93.3 80.0 86.7 100.0 73.3
4. Rank Scorec 2.1 2.1 2.8 3.0 2.4 2.6 2.9
5. Rankingc 1.5 1.5 5 7 3 4 6
a b
Based on percentage of positive responses 1= poor, 2= fair, 3= good, 4= very good, 5= excellent, c1= highest, 4= lowest

with 5% moringa (MF or MP) were lower than those of
the other treatments. However, 86.7 and 100%
purchase intent ratings were obtained for 5% MF and
5% MP, respectively, after the panelists were
informed of their nutritional advantage. This suggests
that the younger group of consumers were willing to
sacrifice product liking for its nutritional benefits
(Garcia et al. 2009). As noted earlier, this group
indicated nutritional content as among the top desired
quality characteristics of rice cracker (Table 3).
Ranking all the samples, the pupils preferred the
control cracker, followed by samples with 1 and 2%
MP, and then with 1% MF (Table 4).
Overall preference by adult subjects for 2% MP was
highest and comparable with the control (93.3%)
(Table 4). Acceptability ratings of 1 and 2% MF were
also high at 80%. However, ratings for purchase intent
and preference ranking of 1% MF were higher than
those of 2% MF. Similar to the results obtained from
the younger group of panelists, crackers with 1% MF
and up to 2% MP were acceptable. Adult respondents
were also more likely to buy all samples if these were
known to have additional nutrients, confirming findings
by other researchers (Chen et al. 2010; Garcia et al.
2009; Bond 2004) that nutritional information or
beneficial health effects of a product have a significant
effect on the willingness of consumers to buy and use
the said product.
Generally, increasing the moringa level resulted in
decreasing consumer preference and acceptability,
similar to the findings of Sengev et al. (2012) in their
wheat breads with similar levels of moringa
supplementation. With these results, rice crackers
with 1% MF and 2% MP were selected as samples in
the subsequent micronutrient analysis and shelf life
evaluation.
Nutritional Analysis
The beta-carotene, vitamin C and calcium levels were
significantly (p=0.05) elevated using moringa leaves
(Table 5). The most notable improvement was in the
beta-carotene content, which increased from 19.0±0.0
to 229.5±3.5 g/100g and 151.5±3.5 g/100g in
samples with 1% MF and 2% MP, respectively.
Vitamin C levels were improved even though the
samples underwent high temperature processing,
such as sundrying, steaming and frying. Fillion and
Henry (1998) and Oñate et al. (1970) earlier reported
the retention of heat-labile vitamins, such as vitamin
C, even after thermal processing. As expected, the
sample with MP had lower beta-carotene and vitamin
C levels. This is because the leaves were subjected to
heat during the processing of MP, which caused
thermal degradation of the said components. This was
also observed by Subadra et al. (1997) in their
blanched and sulphited dehydrated moringa leaves.
Calcium levels of samples with moringa were twice
that of the control sample. Although lower values were
obtained for the sample with MP, both treatments
gave 2, 4 and 4% additional contributions to the daily
intake of vitamins A and C and calcium, respectively,
based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Storage Quality
Interaction effects between moringa treatments and
time of storage in all sensory properties tested were
not significant (Table 6). No significant changes were
also observed in terms of hardness, roughness, and
fish-cracker flavor. Color of stored rice crackers and
grassy taste were affected by treatment alone. Aroma
was only affected by storage time, with values
generally decreasing as the time progressed. Rancid
off-odor and off-taste became increasingly perceptible
with time, with the control sample having the
significantly highest score starting on the 2nd wk of

RV Manaois et al 5
 Table 5. Micronutrient content of moringa-supplemented rice crackers.
Beta-carotene Vitamin C Iron Calcium
Sample
(g/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g) (mg/100g)
Control 19.0±0.0c 5.9±0.4c 4.4±0.1a 27.0±0.0c
1% MF* 229.5±3.5a 11.0±0.0a 4.3±0.3a 66.0±0.0a
2% MP** 151.5±3.5b 9.4±0.1b 4.2±0.2a 57.5±0.7b
Values are mean ± SD of two replicates.
Mean values with the same letter within a column are not significantly different at p=0.05.
*MF=fresh moringa; **MP=powdered moringa.

Table 6. Laboratory sensory attributes of stored moringa-supplemented rice crackers.

Week of storage
Control
Sensory attributes 1%MF* 2%MF* (no moringa)

0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
Color
Yellow1 6.35bc 2.84de 1.94e 5.46cd 0.83e 1.37e 1.53e 0.95e 10.01a 8.85ab 10.16a 9.78a
Green1 3.35abc 1.74cd 4.24abc 2.17bcd 4.57ab 4.08abc 4.25abc 5.20a 0.00d 0.32d 0.00d 0.00d
Odor/Aroma
(pleasant)2 7.40a 5.56ab 5.52ab 4.14ab 6.62ab 5.07ab 6.34ab 4.33ab 7.05a 4.95ab 4.42ab 3.31b
Off-odor (rancid)3 0.35c 0.87c 1.50c 2.44bc 0.33c 0.27c 0.87c 2.04bc 0.59c 0.87c 4.10ab 5.32a
Hardness4 6.82ab 8.36ab 8.46ab 7.84ab 6.46b 8.22ab 7.58ab 6.61ab 9.15a 9.23a 9.06ab 6.92ab
Crunchiness5 10.36a 8.16ab 6.08bc 4.80cd 11.09a 8.19ab 7.18bc 5.01bcd 7.29bc 6.24bc 4.80cd 2.14d
Roughness6 3.89a 4.54a 4.93a 4.98a 3.79a 4.46a 3.94a 4.24a 5.22a 4.70a 4.53a 5.62a
Taste
Fish-cracker1 7.43a 6.17a 6.38a 5.70a 5.75a 5.48a 6.38a 5.64a 7.63a 5.47a 7.25a 6.43a
Grassy1 2.96ab 1.60bc 2.86ab 3.29ab
3.77a 1.46bc 3.26ab 3.17ab 0.14c 0.41c 0.00c 0.07c
Off-taste (rancid)3 0.46c 1.07bc 1.34bc 2.56ab 0.26c 0.83bc 0.85bc 2.09bc 0.33c 1.32bc 2.72ab 4.39a
Overall acceptability7 10.12a 6.79bc 6.15bcd 5.53cd
10.22a 9.15ab 8.07abc 6.48bcd 8.35abc 6.58bcd 6.03cd 3.65d
Mean values with the same letter within the same row are not significantly different at p=0.05 (n=10).
*MF=fresh moringa; **MP=powdered moringa.
1 2 3
0= weak; 15= very intense 0= none; 15= very intense 0= none; 15= very perceptible
4 5 6
0= soft; 15= very hard 0= soggy; 15= very crunchy 0= smooth; 15= very rough
7
0= dislike extremely; 15=like extremely

storage. Crunchiness and overall acceptability ratings

of samples with 1% MF and 2% MP gradually
decreased, but these were comparable with the
control at p=0.05.

All samples had slight increases in MC after the 3rd wk

of storage but all values were below 15% (Figure 2).
The aw values of all samples also remained below 0.6,
although the general trend was increasing (Table 7).
Dried foods with good storage stability usually have
MC values ranging from 5 to 15%, while foods with aw
below 0.6 are less susceptible to microbial spoilage
(deMan 1999). The aw values of the treatments only
rose on the 3rd wk, while that of the control started
increasing on the 1st wk of storage. The TPC of the
samples also significantly increased on the third week,
but microbial counts were within acceptable limits
(<10 x 104 CFU/g and <1,000 CFU/g for TPC and
molds, respectively), based on the United Nations Figure 2. Moisture content of stored rice crackers: Control,
World Food Program standards (UN 2009). No no moringa leaves (ML); 1MF, with 1% (wt/wt
coliform was detected in all samples until the end of rice) fresh ML; and 2MP, with 2% (wt/wt rice)
powdered ML.
the storage period. These results show that both
forms (dried or fresh) of moringa added at the
specified levels can be used to prepare shelf stable
nutrient-enriched rice crackers.

6 Moringa-Supplemented Rice Crackers

 Table 7. Water activity and microbial count of stored moringa-supplemented rice crackers.
Storage time (wk)
Property 1%MF* 2%MP** Control (no moringa)
0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
Water activity (aw) <0.40 <0.40 <0.40 0.49 <0.40 <0.40 <0.40 0.51 <0.40 0.44 0.48 0.51
Total plate count
(x104 CFU/g) 1.25cd 2.50bcd 2.60bcd 9.02a 1.25cd 1.50bcd 3.42b 7.45a 1.00d 1.75bcd 3.02bc 7.75a
Bacteria
(x104 CFU/g) 1.00d 3.75c 3.05cd 9.60a 1.25d 1.00d 4.70bc 8.72a 1.25d 3.50c 5.08bc 6.12b
Mold (CFU/g) 12.5bc 25.0b 15.0bc 2.5c 7.5bc 17.5bc 12.5bc 2.5c 7.5bc 57.5a 15.0bc 5.0c

Mean values with the same letter within the same row are not significantly different at p=0.05 (n=2).
*MF=fresh moringa; **MP=powdered moringa.
ND= not detec

Arceo M. 2010. DoST lauds maker of veggie

CONCLUSION
Nutrient-enriched rice crackers were developed using
fresh and powdered forms of moringa leaves as
supplementing ingredient. Consumer sensory
evaluation results showed high acceptability of
crackers with up to 2% MP and 1% MF, which were
also found comparable with the control. Both young
and adult consumers signified intention of buying
moringa-rice crackers, especially if they were aware of
the nutritional content of the products. Nutritional
analysis showed that the moringa-supplemented
samples had significantly higher beta-carotene,
vitamin C, and calcium levels. The moringa-rice
crackers developed were shelf-stable for up to 3rd wk.
Results demonstrated the viability of producing a
nutritionally enriched rice cracker using moringa as
supplementing ingredient and established its
marketability.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Chen S-H, Chen H-F, Wang H-C. 2010. Do health

The authors gratefully acknowledge Mr. and Mrs.
Roberto Doguiles of Palusapis Fish Crackers and their
personnel for the rice cracker formulation and access
to their processing plant facility. Appreciation is also
extended to Mr. Dante V. Aquino for his assistance in
the production of crackers and consumer sensory
evaluation; Mr. Sotero Gonzales Jr. for analyzing the
crude protein content of the rice crackers; Mrs.
Diocisima Lapuz, principal of Maligaya Elementary
School, for accommodating the researchers in the
consumer sensory testing; and Dr. Marissa Romero
for reviewing and editing the original manuscript.
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