Development and Storage Study of Flavour Blended Mulberry Leaf Powder

Mulberry (Morus spp.) leaves are nutrient-dense, containing proteins, flavonoids, phenolics, and 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) with strong health benefits. The study aimed to develop Flavour blended mulberry leaf powder (FBMLP) to improve taste, acceptability and storage stability. Fresh leaves (Victory-1 variety) were shade-dried, powdered, and blended with ginger, jeera(cumin) and pudina(mint) at varying levels (0.4 g, 0.6 g, 0.8 g). Sensory evaluation by a 21-semi-trained panel using 20-point hedonic scale showed that the 0.6 g blend (T2) achieved the highest scores for flavour, aroma and overall acceptability. Storage studies at room temperature for 45 days showed no fungal growth or E. coli, and bacterial load remained very low. FBMLP consistently showed lower microbial counts than control, indicating better microbial stability. Thus, flavour blending enhanced both sensory quality and storage safety of mulberry herbal tea powder, making it a promising functional beverage.