Development of a Plant Based Spread Utilizing Garden Cress Seeds as a Functional Ingredient

Abstract

Consumer interest in health benefits and plant-based food products is on the rise nowadays. For this reason, the current study was carried out to develop a new plant-based spread, based on garden cress seeds because of their high contents of iron, proteins and fibres. As for other two main components – sweet potato and chickpea – they were selected due to the possibility of providing desirable sensory characteristics and improved nutritional value. The preparation process of the spread was fulfilled, which involved soaking and boiling of ingredients as well as blending. Sensory analysis was carried out in order to assess the quality of developed plant-based spread according to taste, texture, colour and acceptance. From the data provided, it could be stated that the newly formulated spread has been proved to be highly acceptable, having scored good values both in terms of sensory characteristics and consistency. Sweet potato added more natural sweetness and desirable texture to it while chickpea contributed to increasing of protein content and creating creaminess of spread. What is more, garden cress seeds made the spread healthier because of their high content of iron. This formulated spread can be efficiently applied as a substitute for conventional spreads.

Introduction

This study focuses on the development of nutritious and sustainable plant-based spreads enriched with garden cress seeds, a highly nutritious functional food ingredient. Growing consumer demand for healthy, plant-based foods has encouraged the development of alternatives to dairy-based spreads. Garden cress seeds are rich in proteins, iron, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and mucilage, making them valuable for improving both nutritional quality and functional properties. They also possess medicinal benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, galactagogue, and haematinic properties.

The research investigated the incorporation of garden cress seeds in two forms—gel and colloidal powder—to evaluate their effects on the physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of plant-based spreads. Two binding agents were selected: sweet potato, which contributes starch, fiber, and β-carotene, and chickpea, known for its high protein content and binding ability. Based on these ingredients, four formulations were developed: gel with sweet potato, powder with sweet potato, gel with chickpea, and powder with chickpea.

The main objectives of the study were to develop and standardize plant-based spreads containing garden cress seed derivatives, evaluate their sensory characteristics, and determine their nutritional composition through proximate analysis. Sensory evaluation assessed attributes such as appearance, texture, flavor, taste, spreadability, and overall acceptability.

Results showed notable differences between the formulations. The sweet potato–garden cress gel spread (S1) exhibited a smoother texture, mild sweetness, softer consistency, and superior spreadability due to its higher moisture content. In contrast, the chickpea–garden cress powder spread (S2) had a thicker texture, nutty flavor, and denser consistency.

Proximate analysis revealed significant nutritional variations between the two optimized spreads. S1 had a higher moisture content (76.50 g/100 g) and carbohydrate content (11.49 g/100 g) because of the natural starch and water content of sweet potato. S2 demonstrated superior nutritional value, containing higher levels of protein (6.51 g/100 g), fat (4.5 g/100 g), fiber (10.8 g/100 g), and ash content (1.68 g/100 g), reflecting the nutritional richness of chickpeas and garden cress seed powder.

Overall, the study concludes that garden cress seeds can be successfully utilized in plant-based spreads to create functional and nutrient-rich food products. While the sweet potato-based spread offered better texture and spreadability, the chickpea-based spread provided enhanced nutritional benefits, particularly in terms of protein, fiber, and mineral content. The research highlights the potential of underutilized ingredients such as garden cress seeds in developing innovative, healthy, and sustainable plant-based foods that meet modern consumer preferences.

Conclusion

The above study involved the development of new plant-based spreads with garden cress seeds. In this regard, the study used two samples to develop the new plant-based spreads. First, the study used sweet potato to develop garden cress seed spread in the form of a gel. Second, chickpea was used to develop another type of garden cress seed spread in the form of powder. Both samples were tested in terms of texture, taste, spreading ability, and acceptance. Plant-based spreads with garden cress seeds performed well in the above study. More specifically, the study revealed that the sweet potato garden cress seed spread had better creaminess and acceptability compared to the chickpea one. In contrast, the chickpea garden cress seed spread performed well due to its high nutritional value.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Ms. Yamuna Somaajjan, Lakshmi Tejaswini, Farheen Surya. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.