Effect of different treatments on quality and sensory attributes of osmo-dehydrated wild apricot

Abstract

The fruit of wild apricot have very short life and usually goes waste. Hence, studies were conducted with the objective to develop value-added product and assess the quality parameters of osmo-dried wild apricots. The blanched and lye dipped fruits of wild apricot were dipped in sugar syrup of concentration 50 and 70°Brix for 24 h prior to mechanical dehydration. After drying, the fruits were packed in polyethylene pouches and stored at ambient conditions for six months to observe the effect of storage on quality and shelf-life. In case of osmodehydrated apricot, the maximum total sugars content (31.77%) and ascorbic acid content (10.66 mg/100 g) were observed in T6 (lye dipped + 70°Brix syrup), respectively. Sensory evaluation of osmo-dehydrated wild apricot revealed that T6 (lye dipped + 70°Brix syrup) treatment recorded the highest score for overall acceptability.