STUDIES ON QUALITY OF SOLAR AND TRAY DRIED FIGS

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Date
2004
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ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY RAJENDRANAGAR, HYDERABAD
Abstract
Fig is one of the perishable fruit. The post harvest life of fresh fig fruit is limited. Fig is richer in iron and calcium contents than that of most other fresh fruits as well as dry fruits and vegetables. The experiment was conducted in Department of Post Harvest Technology, Department of Horticulture, Post Graduate Research Centre and Department of Agricultural Microbiology and Bioenergy, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad to study the quality of solar and tray dried fig on storage with different pre-drying treatments. As the storage period increased, moisture content decreased and high moisture content was recorded both in tray drying and solar drying. Low moisture content was recorded in solar drying + blanched + sulphited sample. Less loss of moisture was recorded in solar dried method than tray dried method. Reducing sugar content increased with the increase in storage period. Tray dried method had maximum reducing sugar content than solar dried method. Tray dried + lye + sulphited sample had high reducing sugars, solar drying + blanched sample had low reducing sugar content. Significant differences was not observed in treatments on storage of calcium. Calcium retention was high in tray dried method than solar dried method. High calcium content was recorded in solar drying + lye treated sample and low calcium content was recorded in tray drying sample. Ash content increased on storage periods. High ash content was recorded in solar drying sample and tray dried sample. Maximum protein content was recorded in solar drying + sulphited sample and protein content remains more or less unchanged. High crude fiber content was recorded in tray drying sample and lowest recorded in solar drying + blanched sample. Overall acceptability of dried fig decreased with the increase in storage period. Maximum score was recorded in tray dried method than solar dried method. Microbial load increased from initial day to 30 days of storage and decreased gradually upto 3 months. Minimal microbial load was recorded in solar dried sample, maximum in tray drying + lye + sulphitation. Tray dried method had more microbes which is not harmful to living beings, the values are not above the permissible limits. Based on the above findings the dried fig can be safely stored upto 90 days at ambient temperature irrespective of methods of drying. Tray drying predominates in terms of efficacy. Among treatments, tray drying + lye + sulphitation and solar drying + sulphited sample had maximum retention of nutrients and acceptable microbial load.
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Keywords
STUDIES, QUALITY, SOLAR, TRAY, DRIED, FIGS,
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