DEVELOPMENT OF VEGAN PANEER: Development of plant-based paneer using defatted peanut flour

Defatted Peanut Flour is a byproduct that occupies an important place as a base product for the production of various culinary preparations. Protein content in peanut paneer is higher than milk protein. It is a plant-based product. So, vegan people can eat. It is a source of polyunsaturated fatty acid which are beneficial to human health. The preparation method of peanut paneer was similar to paneer made from animal-based milk. Peanut paneer was prepared from defatted peanut flour with different proportions of a coagulant viz. citric acid (1%, 2% & 3%) and ascorbic acid (1%, 1.5% & 4.5%). Proximate analysis, microbial study and textural profile analysis were carried out at refrigerated temperature and room temperature. In texture profile analysis different parameters like hardness, cohesiveness, springiness were assessed. For sensory evaluation, different samples were given to panelists, and the peanut paneer (3% citric acid solution) scored more in different parameters than the peanut paneer (2% citric acid solution), which scored 6.5. After 6 days both samples got low overall acceptability, which was 6 and 6.5, respectively. This vegan paneer can be consumed fresh within 6 days.