Effect of Drying Methods and Pretreatments on Dehydratioin Characteristics of Ber (Ziziphus Mauritiana) Shreds and their Quality Evaluation During Storage

Abstract

Ber is a tropical and subtropical fruit native to the northern hemisphere. It belongs to the genus ZiziJJhus of the family Rhan1naccae and order Rhamnales. Ber fruits are highly nutritious" rich in ascorbic acid and contain fairly good ru11ount of vitamin A and B'l rninerals like calcitml, phosphorus and iron. Caffeic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid arc predominant phenolics reported in bcr. Experin1ents \vcre carried out to develop ber powder by different drying methods with prctrcattncnts and storage in LOPE and glass jars at room temperature conditions and its qualitative evaluation during storage. Dehydrated process were carried out for bcr slices and pretreated \Vith KMS~ sodiun1 benzoate and control for ditlerent te.mperature and drying n1cthods (cabinet tray drying .. green house and open sun drying). On the basis of findings it i conclude that tht; tnoisture content decreased with increase in temperature and cabin~t tray drying takes lcvv tin1e for drying process in comparison with others n1cthods. l 'he TSS was found to be higher for powder sat11ples dried by cabinet tray drying as fresh and atler l_O days of ~torage period as con1pared to green house type solar dryer and open sun drying tntthod. It is also observed that the acidity values of cabinet tray dried powder san1ples \Vas lo,ver than that of green house type sun dried and open sun dried san1plt:s. It is also ~t!l:ll that the trGat~d san1ples witJ1 KMS was hight:r acidity values followed by treated \Vith B and untrt'ated san1ples. It is also fotmd that the browning index of satnples treatt'd \Vith KM ha i 1 \Ver values followed by treated with SB and untreated in all drying methods. Data ~)l'lt.tinc I lOr Yita1nin-C content after 30" 60" 90 and 110 days storage indicate that lo\v~st \' it·Hnin-l content were found to be in samples dried by open sun drying method. It is ah> llmnd that