Product diversification of jackfruit

Abstract

Jackfruit has enumerable health benefits and healing properties. A considerable amount of jackfruit, specially obtained in the glut season (June-July) goes waste due to its perishability in nature. It has to be processed to make its availability throughout the year. Varika variety of jackfruit in different maturity level-tender, mature and ripe stage was used for the study. The effects of pretreatments viz., blanching and quick freezing on quality of dried jackfruit were investigated. Quality evaluation of the dried products in terms of vitamin content, protein content, rehydration ratio, tannin, texture and colour were done. The treated sample exhibits good rehydration ratio, colour and firmness retention as compared with the control sample. In order to standardize a suitable packaging material for the stored products three packaging materials viz., LDPE, PP and aluminum laminates of different gauges were studied. The packaging techniques used were active MAP, passive MAP and vacuum packaging. Apart from quality evaluation microbial and sensory analysis were done in every 15 days interval. Operating cost/kg for drying of tender, mature and ripe samples were calculated. The cost of operation/kg for tender, mature and ripe samples are Rs.20.87/-, Rs.12.43/- and Rs.10.09/- respectively .The study concluded that the samples which were blanched for two min. and freezed at -10 0 C for three hour followed by drying at 60 0 C and packed in aluminium laminate were superior