Development of ready-to-cook Panang curry cubes using partial replacement of coconut milk with rice bran oil-based cereal milk

Abstract

This study aimed to develop ready-to-cook Panang curry cubes by partially substituting coconut milk with rice bran oil-based cereal milk to reduce the use of coconut milk, which is high in saturated fatty acids, while maintaining consumer acceptance and developing a healthier product. The experiment consisted of two stages.  The first stage investigated the effects of substituting coconut milk with cereal-based milk at 0%, 50%, and 100%. The second stage evaluated the effects of drying at 70°C for 0, 9, and 12 hours to reduce the moisture content of the product. Product quality was assessed using a 9-point hedonic scale, Just-About-Right (JAR) analysis, and penalty analysis, together with measurements of water activity (a_w) and color characteristics.

The results showed that substituting coconut milk with rice bran oil-based cereal milk had no significant effects on aroma, taste, texture, or overall liking (P>0.05), whereas color liking was significantly affected (P<0.05). The formulation containing 50% substitution achieved an overall liking score comparable to that of the control (P > 0.05) and exhibited the most desirable balance of aroma and flavor according to JAR analysis. In addition, this formulation showed the lowest penalty values, indicating the least negative impact of sensory attributes on consumer acceptance. Regarding the drying process, samples dried for 12 hours exhibited the lowest a_w, while receiving the highest scores for color, aroma, taste, overall liking, and JAR evaluation (P<0.05). Increasing drying time significantly decreased lightness (L*) and hue angle, whereas the overall color difference (ΔE) increased significantly compared with the undried control (0 h) (P<0.05). Therefore, 50% substitution of coconut milk with rice bran oil-based cereal milk, combined with drying at 70°C for 12 hours, was identified as the optimum processing condition for producing ready-to-cook Panang curry cubes. This formulation maintained desirable sensory quality while offering the potential to develop a healthier ready-to-cook product with promising commercial applications.