Antioxidant rich products are valued due to their health benefits and appetizers are required in several pathological and geographical stress situations such as prolonged exposure to altitude. The paper deals with the development of a shelf stable RTE (ready-to-eat) antioxidant rich herbal appetizer convenient to the consumer. Using ginger and Karpurvalli (Coleus aromaticus) as two independent variables, a central composite design with 13 experimental combinations was obtained. These combinations were processed by concentration and dehydration into the appetizer RTE munches using preprocessed ingredients and evaluated for antioxidant activity, vitamin C, and sensory characteristics. The product optimized using Design Expert Statistical Software had the proximate composition of 11.4% fat, 2.3% protein, and 75.0% carbohydrates, supplying about 82.36？Kcals per munch of 20？g. The munches packed in metalized polyester pouches had a shelf life of 10 months at 28 ± 5°C as well as 37°C storage. The RTE appetizer based on Coleus aromaticus was developed with excellent sensory properties and shelf stability. 1. Introduction Coleus aromaticus (CA) commonly called as Country borage or Indian borage is a perennial herb grown throughout Indian subcontinent. Traditionally, the leaves of the plant are used for cold, cough, and fever as well as against skin irritations. The herb has been reported to have several therapeutic potentials. It has been reported that the leaves of the CA herb have antioxidant and radical scavenging activity [1, 2], as well as antibacterial and antifungal activities [3, 4]. The leaves are useful in urinary diseases and vaginal discharge [5]. The expressed juice is used in epilepsy and other convulsive disorders and plant extracts used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders [6] while the water extract of CA leaves was found to produce significant diuresis in rats [7]. However, the appetising potential of the herb was unexplored for development of products. Our studies have explored the appetising potential of the CA herb in the form of a shelf stable ready-to-drink beverage called Karpurvalli beverage through animal experiments [8] as well as in a study on human volunteers [9]. A hot water reconstitutable soup mix also has been reported based on the CA herb [10]. Appetite is governed by several factors such as cognizance and memories of the food and psychological and physiological status of the consumer as well as the type of the food and the way the food is being served. The various spices/herbs with pungent volatile compounds cause
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