This deals about Vadagam, ethnic food from Tamilnadu, India

1. DHANUPRIYA S
Food technologist,
Anna University, Chennai

2. PRODUCT – THALIPU VADAGAM
 Vadagam is the most important ingredient for seasonings
 When added to Kuzhambu or Rasam will add an incredible
taste to the South Indian dish.
 Onion (Allium cepa) and garlic (Allium sativa) has been
widely used even in ancient times as seasonings, for
medical uses and as foods

3. INGREDIENTS
Material Amount
Onion or Shallot 3 kgs
Garlic 0.5 kg
Mustard seeds 200 g
Fenugreek seeds 100 g
Split black gram 250 g
Cumin seeds 250 g
Crystal salt 200 g
Turmeric powder 2 table spoon
Castor oil 200 ml

4. Process
 Cleaning
 Chopping
 Curing (Salting) – 48 h
 Moulding with oil
 Drying
 Packing

5. Process
 The onion and garlic are peeled and coarsely crushed.
 Add the mustard seeds, white lentil ,gram dall, cumin,
fenugreek seeds, turmeric powder and salt
 Allow to stand for 2 days.
 On the 3rd day, make into balls with castor oil as the grease.
 Sun-dry balls for 10 subsequent days
 Store in an Air tight container

6. Anti-microbial components
 Onion: Flavoniods - Quercetin, Allicin, (+)-S-methyl-l-cysteinesulfoxide
(bacteria), Fistulosin (mould)
 Garlic: S-allyl cysteine (SAC), Breakdown products of allicin. Allicepin, steroid
saponins (eruboside-B)
 Mustard: Allyl isothiocyanate
 Castor oil: Undecylinic acid (Mold inhibitor)
 Antisticking Agent, Carrier Solvent, Coating Agent, Film Former, Glaze,
Lubricant, Polish, Release Agent, Surface-Finishing Agent
 Cumin: Thymol, Thymohydroquinone, Tannin
 Turmeric: Curcumin

7. Antimicrobial range of Spices
Ingredient Target Microorganism
Salmonella typhymurium, Escherichia coli,
Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus
Garlic subtilis, mycotoxigenic Aspergillus, Candida albicans,
Pseudomonas, Proteus, Klebsiella, Micrococcus,
Mycobacterium, Clostridium spp.
Mustard seed Mycotoxigenic Aspergillus
Aspergillus flavis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Fusarium
oxysporum,
Onion

8. Hurdles used
 Heat (F value) – 40 – 550C
 Water activity (Aw) – 0.3 - 0.45
 Acidification (pH) – 4-4.5
 Redox potential (ORP) – Around -200 mV
 Preservatives (pres.) – Sodium Chloride, Spices
 Antimicrobials
 Temperature (t value) – RT

9. Suggestions
 Pulsed light treatment
• 0.01 to 50 J/cm2, 1 µs to 0.1 s
 Automatic slicer
• Razor sharp rotating knives
 High processing hygiene
 Infrared drying
• 500 W, 4h, 450C, air velocity – 1.0 m/s
 MAP integrated with passive packaging (N2 flushing)
 Packaging
 Opaque, ß low, LDPE/HDPE or laminated films

10. References
 Benkeblia.N., Antimicrobial activity of essential oil extracts of
various onions (Allium cepa) and garlic (Allium sativum),
Lebensm.-Wiss.u.-Technol.37, 2004, p 263–268.
 Marta CM, Nieves C and Mar Villamiel, Biological properties of onions
and garlic, Trends in Food Science & Technology, Volume 18, Issue 12,
2007, p 609-625.
 N. C. Azu & R. A. Onyeagba : Antimicrobial Properties Of Extracts Of
Allium cepa (Onions) And Zingiber officinale (Ginger) On Escherichia
coli, Salmonella typhi And Bacillus subtilis . The Internet Journal of
Tropical Medicine. 2007 Volume 3 Number 2.
 Sharma GP, Verma RC and Pathare PB,
 Thin-layer infrared radiation drying of onion slices, Journal of Food
Engineering Volume 67, Issue 3, April 2005, Pages 361-366

11. Thank you!!
Send your feedbacks to:
dhanupriya@gmail.com