Herbs and their extracts have long been used for curing health related complications and metabolic disorders as natural remedies. Functional components present in them aids in performing a wide range of biological functionalities. A considerable portion of today’s functional food market consists of herbal supplemented functional foods. Dairy products, popular throughout the country, can be used effectively as carriers for herbs to satisfy the needs of health conscious consumers. However, depending upon the concentration and type, the incorporation of herbs into food products may have certain undesirable effects on their sensory, physico-chemical and textural properties which in turn could affect their overall acceptability. Presently, the herbal ghee being marketed globally is mostly sold as medicinal ghee, which is associated with typical flavour, bitter or pungent taste and a dark colour. Such therapeutic preparations are therefore not acceptable for routine use. Incorporation of these nutraceuticals into food systems may therefore call for technological modifications so that the sensory quality of the final product remains unaltered. Further, limited information is available for ascertaining the residual levels of these functional components in herbal food preparations. Effect of herbal and food constituents interactions on human health have to be studied thoroughly.
