CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM

1. 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY AREA

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1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Basella Alba is an edible perennial vine in the family Basellacque. It is found in

tropical Asia and Africa where it is widely used as a leaf vegetable. Malabar spinach

(Basella alba) is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine, growing to 10 m in length. It has

thick, semi-succulent, dark green, heart-shaped fleshy leaves that have a mild flavor

and mucilaginous texture. It has high amount of protein for a plant and is also a good

source of magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. It has a good amount of

Antioxidants, particularly beta carotene, and Lutein those naturally occurring chemicals

that help keep your cells from aging ( Man, P. 2021, January 7). This vegetables is commonly

grown in the Philippines. Malabar Spinach (Basella Rubra Linn) is also commonly

known as “Alugbati” in the Visayan and Mindanao regions. Basella Alba or Malabar

Spinach, Malabar nightshade, Alugbati in the Philippines (2016).

Nowadays, cupcakes has been very popular on every occasions. It is one of the

most favorite among kids,.Such cakes are made more attractive, flavored, tasty and

consumer appealing by adding additional ingredients like sugar candies, vanilla flavors,

nuts etc,.They’re small and can be inexpensive to make. But consumption of this

should be moderate as it has a high content of saturated fats and calories ( Lainey

Younkin.,2019)

Cupcakes also called a mini cakes, a small cake designed to serve one person,

originated from concept of baking miniature cakes in small cups. It is made of whet

flour,sugar, and the flavor with organic vegetables. Cupcakes can be made a different

native fruits, or it can also herbs like Alugbati or Malabar Spinach.

The researchers chose the study to discover a new product that will be

accepted by everyone- a product that suits everyone's nutritional needs and contributes

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to society’s demand in terms of having health benefits. Acceptability of Alugbati

(Malabar Spinach) cupcake was conducted to determine appearance, aroma, flavor,

and texture and also to find the general acceptability of Alugbati (Malabar Spinach)

cupcake.

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1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study will help to everyone especially to young children, and it has been a

habit also of food innovation in order to achieve it, not only to create new product but to

help as well, in addressing the malnutrition in the Philippines. Product of the cupcake

will gives nutrients and help those people need and not only food consumption but also

it will be an avenue for entrepreneurship for a new innovative products.

1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The study is aimed to:

 Evaluate sensory characteristics of cupcake enriched with 150 grams,

100 grams and 50 grams of Alugbati leaves in terms of,

 Color

 Texture, and

 Taste

 Test the significant difference of the acceptability of the cupcakes

enriched with 150 grams, 100 grams, and 50 grams of Alugbati leaves,

 Determine the profile of the respondents in terms of:

 Age

 Sex

 Occupation

 Food preferences

 Health status

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1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of.

1.1 Age

1.2 Sex

1.3 Occupation

1.4 Food Preference

1.5 Health status

2. What is the level of acceptability of the Alugbati cupcakes in terms of.

A. color

B. texture and

C. Taste

3. Is there a significant difference in the cupcake with 150 grams, 100 grams, and 50

grams in the Alugbati leaves in terms of;

A. Color

B. Texture and

C. Taste

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1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is of great significance to the following persons to have more

knowledge about the product being produced.

 University. This research is useful to the University of Science and

Technology of Southern Philippines, Oroquieta Campus in order to achieve its

mission , specifically on food security and safety and bring the world of work.

And this will bring new product conceptualization.

 Entrepreneurs. The product of this study is useful to the entrepreneur

because this will bring another avenue for product conceptualization.

 Student’s. This product of this study is very useful to everyone especially the

young children, we introduce the product to the students who loves eating

cupcakes, knowingly that they didn’t eat vegetables.

 Teachers. This study will be useful to the teachers to mold the new

educators in

1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION

This study will be conducted at the university of Science & Technology of

Southern Philippines. The Alugbati leaves gather from the different area of Misamis

Occidental, Oroquieta city. Flour, sugar , salt, milk, egg, baking powder will be bought

at the local stores. Moreover, this study is limited to determine the color, texture and

taste of the cupcake. It also determines the level of acceptability of the product to the

students and faculty members of the University of Science & Technology of Southern

Philippines regardless of its course, year and section.

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1.8 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The conceptual framework that is presented in figure 1 shows the Input,

Process, and Output. The ingredients and tools and equipment used in study are listed

as the input variables, which was processed to produce the intended outcome which is

the Alugbati Cupcake.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Ingredients:
 Alugbati Leaves
 Flour
 Sugar
 Egg
 Salt  Collecting and
Tools and Preparing
Equipment used  Washing
 weighing scale,  Blending
 mixing bowl,  Mixing Alugbati Cupcake
 strainer, ingredients
 measuring  Baking
spoon,  Cooling
 measuring cup,
 cupcake
molding,
 Spatula
 wire whisk
 blender
 oven

Figure 1. Diagram of the Study

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1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS:

Acceptability- capable or worthy of being accepted; barely satisfactory or adequate.

(Merriam-Webster, dictionary.)

Basella rubra Inn- is a plant of the family Basellaceae, generally known by name as

Malabar spinach. (research-gate. 2022)

Blending- to combine or associate so that the separate constituents or the line of

demarcation cannot be distinguished. (Merriam-Webster, dictionary)

Color- a phenomenon of light (such as red, brown, pink, or gray) or visual perception

that enables one to different otherwise identical objects. (Merriam-Webster, dictionary)

Cupcake- a small cake baked in a cup like mold. (Merriam-Webster, dictionary)

Oven- a chamber used for baking, heating or drying. (Merriam-Webster, dictionary)

Preheat- to heat (something) beforehand; to heat (an oven) to a designated

temperature using for cooking. (Merriam-Webster, dictionary)

Taste- the special sense that perceives and distinguishes the sweet, sour, bitter, salty,

or umami quality of a dissolved substance and is mediated by taste buds on the

tongue.(Merriam-Webster,dictionary)

Texture- the visual or tactile surface characteristics and appearance of something.

(Merriam-Webster, dictionary)

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 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES

INTRODUCTION

In the study conducted by (Singh, A., Dubey, P.K., Chaurasiya, R. et al.)

Malabar spinach is a perennial leafy vegetable that is overlooked, even though it has

long been grown extensively in Southeast Asia. It continues to be gradually ignored and

replaced by other greens. Malabar Spinach fresh leaves and stems are both basella

species that are rich in protein , Vitamin A, C, amino acids and flavones.

There has already been lots of research on the production of cupcakes with the

use of vegetables to the mixture. One of those studies are conducted by (Gomez, A,G

n.d) carrot cupcakes development was highly accepted by children ages 4-5 years old,

obtaining similar result to the standard product. Development of cupcake using

pomegranate peel powder because of its high dietary fiber and its potential as a

protective agent of several diseases, while the food industry’s demand for antioxidants

and antimicrobial from natural sources, the application of pomegranate, and its extracts

(antioxidants and antimicrobial), has been studied extensively in different food products

with satisfactory results. Gadallah, M., Shabib, Z., & El-Hazmi, T. (2022).

Because of the abundant nutritional content of Malabar spinach, the researcher

decided to try it as an additional ingredient in cupcake preparation. It is affordable and

typically found in backyards and gardens. Additionally, raw materials are easily

accessible on the market. Due to the concerning consumption of unhealthy foods it

increases the risk of having symptoms of mental health illness ( Gadallah, M., Shabib,

Z., & El-Hazmi, T. (2021). Alugbati (Malabar Spinach) is so healthy and nutritious; it is

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also a functional food. Functional meals have a beneficial effect on health by lowering

disease risks and enhancing various systems of the body. In addition to its nutritional

value, this plant's importance, consumption, and popularization are important since it

has the potential to be a food that serves as a functional food for health protection as

cited by (Acikgoz, F. E., & Adiloglu, S. (2018). Malabar Spinach ( Basella rubra Inn.)

is a widely accepted as nutritional vegetable and grown generally in tropical regions of

the world. Dr. Annu Sharma. (2022). According to their studies that have demonstrated

that the plant is abundant in carotenoids, flavonoid, saponins, vitamin C, and variety of

organic acids, calcium, and iron are also present. It was used to manage  different

health problems. By including this in our daily diet might aid in the prevention of

diseases. Malnutrition has been a worldwide problem as its deficiency from essential

nutrients can affect neurological development and their behavioral capacity ( Sage

Journal 2022).By including this in our daily diet might aid in the prevention of diseases.

The researcher purposely choose blended Malabar spinach as additional

ingredient in cupcake making because of its high nutritional value; it is cheap and

usually found in home garden of backyard. Also, it is readily available in the market as

a raw material. This study is geared towards helping improve the health condition of the

country in especially emergencies which is slowly determining because of the

widespread of non-nutritious foods consumed by people and at the same time promote

local products abundant in the community (Tamayo, et al. 2020)

In a study conducted by (Callihan,2019) the body needs different vitamins that

are essential for physical growth and illness prevention. They must be acquired from

your diet and surroundings because they are not naturally developed by the body.

When the body doesn't absorb enough of a vitamin from meals, a nutritional

deficiencies result. Deficiencies can cause a number of different health problems.

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There are signs that can lead to health issues like weak immune system, low energy,

acne and different health issues about health deficiencies. Poor eating practices:

Consuming fried or processed meals, which lack key nutrients, results in nutritional

deficiency. Health issues is a person who is ill may also experience dietary deficiencies.

The body is unable to absorb nutrition, as is the case with gluten sensitivity. The body's

inability to produce enough red blood cells under certain circumstances results in

nutritional deficiencies. Low diet: Nutritional deficits can result from an inadequate or

low diet. Medicines: Taking a number of medications to address various illnesses might

result in nutritional deficiencies. According to Ortiz J., Velasquez P., Santis A.,. (2021)

These generations are obsessed with maintaining a healthy diet without ignoring a

small a preference for tasty meals. Since there are already situations with meals of

poorer quality, this directly connected to problems like obesity and food insecurity.

Interest in inventing new food items is motivated by the need to ensure that food fulfills

minimum calorie requirements and is of high quality. These product innovations must

adhere to nutritional standards and have minimal levels of salt, sugar, and fat. helping

people live active, healthy lives and prevent malnutrition in all its aspects. In essence,

this would ensure a balanced life, and it could aid in decreasing death rates and

morbidity from eating-related illnesses.

According to (WHO, 2020) the alugbati is growing quickly and become popular

worldwide This leafy green vegetable, often called basella or Malabar spinach, is highly

nutritious. With only 19 calories per serving, it rapidly fills you up without increasing

your waistline. It contains a combination of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium,

and antioxidants, and is probably similar to spinach. You can include it into salads,

smoothies, veggie dishes, soups, and other homemade meals based on your personal

preferences.

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 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter consists of the research design, research location, research

instrument, the production of Alugbati cupcakes, sample and sampling procedures,

data analysis and the summary.

3.1 Research Design

The study was conducted using an experimental research design followed by a

survey for the sensory and acceptability of the product. The study used quantitative

research method because this involves to quantify the problem by way of generating

numerical data or data that can be transformed into usable statistics, as well as delving

deeper into issues of interest and exploring nuances related to the problem at hand.

3.2 Research Location

The study was conducted at University of Science and Technology of Southern

Philippines Oroquita campus.. This is located Purok 1, Mobod Oorquieta City, Misamis

Occidental and in front of the water refilling station. This location was chosen due to

accessibility of the materials to the researchers. The product making was held inside

the campus of University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.

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3.3 Research Instrument

When the study conducted, the raw materials used were Alugbati (Malabar

Spinach) leaves, flour, sugar, eggs and water. The following tools and equipment

including weighing scale, mixing bowl, strainer, measuring spoon, measuring cup,

cupcake molding, spatula, wire whisk blender and oven as well for the baking. In

addition, the researchers used a survey questionnaire for the sensory evaluation

according to the acceptability of Alugbati Cupcakes in terms of color, texture and taste

asked after the consent forms of the respondents were secured.

3.4 Production of Alubati (Malabar Spinach) cupcakes

The Alugbati cupcakes was formulated using (kilo sa) flour, (timbang) sugar,

(pcs) eggs, 9ml) water, and (tikbang) of Alugbati leaves. In making Alugbati cupcakes,

(how many hour) was intended to successfully produce the product.

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 PROCESS FLOW

COLLECTING AND PREPARING

The Researchers collect the raw mnaterials and
prepare the tools and equipments in making
Cupcakes.

WASHING
The researchers wash the Alugbati Leaves.

BLENDING
The researchers blend the alugbati leaves to make it
fine.

MIXING THE INGREDIENTS

The researchers strain the flour first to make it fine,
then add the sugar,and the ground Alugbati leaves
and mix, then add the eggs and water.

BAKING
The researchers put the batter in to the cupcake
molding then put into the oven until its completely
done.

COOLING
The researchers let the cupcakes cool in a cooling
racks.

Figure 2. Procedure in Making Alugbati (Malabar Spinach) Cupcakes

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3.5 Sample and Sampling Procedure

For the sensory evaluation, the researchers selected the respondents using

sampling procedure which asked research respondents to assist researchers in

identifying other potential subjects. Here, the researchers selected fifty (50)

respondents to evaluate the product according ti the survey questionnaire. Shown in

figure 3 was the 9-point hedonic scale to evaluate the sensory attributes of the product.

Color Texture Taste

Like Extremely (9)

Like Very Much (8)

Like Moderately (7)

Like Slightly (6)

Neither like or dislike (5)

Dislike slightly (4)

Dislike Moderately (3)

Dislike Very much (2)

Dislike Extremely (1)

Figure 3. 5-point Hedonic Scale

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3.6 Data Analysis

This study used hedonic scale as recognized by

3.7 Summary

Alugbati leaves is used to make cupcakes. According to

An experimental research design was used in this study, which followed by a survey for

sensory evaluation of the product. University of Science and Technology of Southern

Philippines were conducted the research, held inside the campus near in front of water

refilling station.

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REFERENCES

Gadallah, M., Shabib, Z., & El-Hazmi, T. (2021). (2021, July 9). Development of high

dietary fibre-enriched cupcake using pomegranate peel powder. Publishing

Open Access research journals & papers |

Hindawi. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfs/2022/6461949/

Gomez, A. G. (n.d.). ResearchGate | Find and share

research. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Novello-D/publication/

270507175_CARROT_CUPCAKES_DEVELOPMENT_ADDED_FLAX_FLOUR

_Linum_Usitatissimum_L_PHYSICOCHEMICAL_COMPOSITION_SENSORY_

ACCEPTABILITY_AMONG_CHILDREN_AND_RELATIONSHIPS_WITH_NUTR

ITIONAL_STATUS/links/54abe9690cf2ce2df6691f18/CARROT-CUPCAKES-

DEVELOPMENT-ADDED-FLAX-FLOUR-Linum-Usitatissimum-L-

PHYSICOCHEMICAL-COMPOSITION-SENSORY-ACCEPTABILITY-AMONG-

CHILDREN-AND-RELATIONSHIPS-WITH-NUTRITIONAL-STATUS.pdf

Muhammad Hafizurrachman, Risky Kusuma Hartono. (2021). Junk food consumption

and symptoms of mental health problems: A meta-analysis for public health

awareness | Hafizurrachman | Kesmas: Jurnal Kesehatan Masyarakat Nasional

(National public health journal). Faculty of Public Health UI

Journal. https://journal.fkm.ui.ac.id/kesmas/article/view/4541

Singh, A., Dubey, P.K., Chaurasiya, R. et al. (2018, May 4). Indian spinach: An

underutilized perennial leafy vegetable for nutritional security in developing

world. SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40974-018-0091-

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 Acikgoz, F. E., & Adiloglu, S. (2018). A review on a new exotic vegetable for

Turkey: Malabar Spinach (Basella alba L. or Basella rubra L.). J. Hortic, 5, 239.

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