Horticulture Crop Processing

Title: Evaluation of polymeric-film packaging for enhancing quality and shelf-life of apple

Team: A.K. Thkaur and Ramesh Kumar

Objectives:

To evaluate the polymeric-film packaging foe enhancing shelf life of apple.

Progress:

Shrink wrapping and zip-lock envelop created a good protection to the apple fruit during storage under cold and ambient condition. Both the packaging drastically reduced the weight loss as an natural desiccation process. Firmness of the apple was maintained during the period of storage under shrink wrap and zip-lock envelop in comparison to the control sample that is unpackaged. Firmness retained more in cold stored samples as compared to room stored samples. Colour was also found good in case of both packaging as compared to control sample. However the recorded data was inconsistent. Overall the results of the individual fruit packaging was found encouraging and it has positive effect on quality & shelf life.

Title:Process development for production of raisin-like product from �perlette� grape

Team:A.K.Thakur

Objectives:

c) To evolve a process technology for production of raisin/raisin-like product from ‘Perlette’ grape. a) To study the shelf life and quality of raisin/raisin-like product under different packages and environment.

Progress:

Raisins from the Perlette grape may be useful for secondary use like in bakery, deserts preparation and confectionary industries. It may not be acceptable for direct consumption as a dry fruit. Raisins from Perlette grape can be stored up to 6 months in air tight jars. The raisin like product (Pills or Candy) developed from the pulp of the Perlette grape was found a novel product, very much acceptable and promising product. The developed pills can be stored for more than 6 months at ambient condition (more than 12 months in refrigerated condition) without any change in quality. In a single line processing of Perlette grape, juice is extracted by hot processing and pulps are prepared by using the remaining mass of the grape. The juice can be used for preparation drink or for jellies and the pulp was used for raisin like pills and other product like jam.

Title: Studies on shrink packaging of selected fruit and vegetable

Team: Ramesh Kumar,Rajbir Singh and D.D. Nangre

Objectives:

a) To study the effect of different plastic film on storage behaviour of fruit and vegetable. b) To optimize the polyethylene film for individual shrink wrapping.

Progress:

Tested the suitability of different plastic films and optimized the film thickness for individual shrink wrap packaging of kinnow, Capsicum and tomato. Established the comparative efficacy of various techniques of individual fruit packaging such as seal pack, cling-wrap and shrink-wrap for extending the storage life of kinnow, capsicum and tomato. Established the effect of varying environment viz. walk in cool chamber, evaporative cool chamber and ambient conditions on storage behaviour of kinnow, capsicum and tomato under Shelf life of shrink wrapped fruits and vegetables

Title: Studies on packaging and storage of Pomegranate Fruits

Team: D. B. Singh and R.K. Gupta

Objectives:

a) Increasing the shelf life of pomegranate and its arils. b) Value addition and improving marketing of the produce.

Progress:

The shelf life of pomegranate fruits treated with 4% calcium chloride and packed in 5 ply CFB Boxes can be extended up to 90 days when stored at low temperature. Pomegranate arils treated with Chlorinated water (Sodium hypochloride 100 ppm) + Antioxidant (Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid) and packed in 25 µSemi permeable film and stored at Low temperature 5 ± 1º C maintains quality and shelf life up to 16 days. Anti oxidants were positive to reduce spoilage and retain chemical composition of arils.

Title: Post Harvest Quality Maintenance of Strawberry by Edible Coatings

Team: D.B. Singh and Rajbir Singh

Objectives:

a) Quality maintenance of strawberry fruits during storage and control of microbial spoilage. b) Increase in shelf life of strawberry fruits.

Progress:

Aloe Vera gel applied as edible coatings in strawberry fruits effects in retarding the ripening process. The gel treatment/coating was effective as a physical barrier and thus reduces the weight loss, lowering the respiration rate during post harvest storage. Aloe vera delays colour change and softening of fruits. Maintains fruit quality in terms of TSS, acidity, vitamin C and reducing sugars. Organoleptic evaluation well confirmed these findings. Aloe vera gel 1:1 was found the best treatment for maintaining the quality of strawberry fruits during storage.

Title: Development of processing technology for guava leather, intermediate moisture fruit and nutrient rich beverages

Team: Ramesh Kumar, Satyabir Singh, Gautam Mandal and M.P. Singh

Objectives:

a) To develop suitable processing technique for different value added products. b) To optimize the process technology. c) To assess the quality of developed product during storage.

Progress:

Optimized pre-processing treatments for extraction and preservation of guava pulp. Standardized operating parameters for preparation of plain and blended guava leather by evolving different sugar: acid blends, pulp proportions and cabinet drying temperatures. Optimized process technology for osmotic dehydration of guava fruit i.e. solute concentrations, process temperature, solid mass ratio and immersion time. Developed processing technique for preparation of whey based guava beverages with and without carbonation Assessed the storage stability of guava leather and dehydrated ring in different packing material such as PP, MPP, LDPE and Aluminum foils. Established the storage stability of ready-to-serve guava beverages under ambient and low temperature conditions.

Publication:

Filed one patent on process technology for preparation of blended guava leather/bar (No 515/DEL/2008).

Title:Application of Greenhouse for Drying Onion Slices

Team:D. D. Nangare, Dattatreya M. Kadam, Rajbir Singh and Satyander Kumar

Objectives:

1) To study the drying behaviour of onion slices 2) To study the quality of dried product 3) To study the economics of utilization of low cost poly house for drying onion slices during summer

Progress:

Publication:

Dattatreya M. Kadam, D. D. Nangare, Rajbir Singh, Satyendra Kumar, (Accepted). Low Cost Greenhouse Technology for Drying Onion (Allium cepa L) Slices. Journal of Food Process Engineering. Dattatreya M. Kadam, D. D. Nangare, H. S. Oberoi (Accepted). Influence of Pre Treatments on Microbial Load of Stored Dehydrated Onion Slices. Journal of Food Process Engineering.

Non Contact Thermometer

Measurement of temperature inside foods

Viscometer

Determination of viscosity of samples

Water activity meter

To measure the available water in food

Hand Colormeter

Measurement of colors

BOD Incubator

Incubation could be given for the growth of specific microbes with specific heat and relative humidity.

Vacuum Packaging Machine

Used for vacuum packaging by removing atmospheric gases entirely from the package containing food products to extend the shelf life of perishable foods, while at the same time maintains or improves the quality of the product

Autoclave

Sterilization of glasswares, media etc. for microbiology purpose

Head space gas analyzer

Estimation of gas concentrations in MAP food

Deep Freezer

For preservation of samples and costly chemicals at ultralow temperature

Vortex Shaker

Mixing of samples by shaking

Environmental Chamber

For growth of microorganisms at different environmental conditions

Incubator cum shaker

For growth of microorganisms at particular temperature under shaking condition

Laminar Air Flow

For aseptic maintenance and tranfer of microorganimsmal cultures

Universal Oven

To measure moisture content of samples and sterilization of glass-wares

Lyophilizer

For drying of samples at ultralow temperatures

Microwave oven

Microwave heating of samples

Water Bath

During analytical experiments to give a particular temperature

Vacuum Dryer

Drying of food samples by vacuum

Incubator

For growth of microorganisms at particular temperature

Shrink Wrapping Machine

Wrapping of fruits and vegetables and other products using different plastic films

Distillation Assembly

For preparation of distilled water

Vacuum flesh evaporator

To do evaporation under vacuum

Weighing Balance

Weighing of chemicals/samples for analysis

Refracto-Meter

To measure total soluble solids (Brix)

Sealing machine

Used for packing food products

Digital Microscope

For seeing micro objects like microorganisms viz. bacteria, fungus

Gas Liquid Chromatography

Separation and quantifiImage ofion of volatile components and pigments

UV/VIS Spectrometer

Determination of minute quantities of substances like micronutrients in agricultural soil, plants; organic components in biological matter; glucose, fructose etc in foods based on Lambert-Beer’s law

Texture Analyzer

Determination of textural properties such as rupture force, energy, cutting force strength etc. of food products