Abstract

The tamarind pulp subjected to various treatments were assessed for their quality parameters during storage for a period of one year. Among the packaging materials assessed, deterioration in the pulp packed in aluminium foil was slow when ompared to polyethylene bags of 200, 300 and 800 gauge, 200 gauge polypropylene ag, porcelain and plastic container and mud pot packaging. The low (0.2569 OD) ptical density was recorded in pulp packed in aluminium foil, while in the conventional aud pot, the optical density was 0.3111 on 360th day of storage with acceptable quality. Among the additive treatments, sulphur 0.2 per cent and ascorbic acid 5.0 per cent reated pulp recorded a low optical density of 0.2600 OD value, while the pulp without ny treatment recorded 0.3050 OD value. Sodium chloride 10.0 per cent treated pulp ecorded low (16.60 per cent) acidity while it was higher in ascorbic acid treated ulp, and in control it was 17.20 per cent. The pulp subjected to two types of sealing vacuum sealing and normal sealing) and storage temperatures (refrigerated at 4+2°C and ambient at 25+2°C) revealed that the pulp packed under vacuum sealing and stored inder refrigerated temperature retained the brown colour (0.2540 OD value) upto 330 lays of storage. Variations in other biochemical parameters from the initial values vere non-significant during the period of storage. The comparative analysis of the esults obtained indicated that vacuum packing of the pulp and storage under refrigerated condition could be adopted for extended storage stability and for export market. Under Indian conditions, using the aluminium foil as packing material for tamarind pulp vas found economical and feasible for the poor tamarind growers which could also maintain good quality of pulp even under prolonged storage period.

Keywords: Tamarind pulp, Post-harvest deterioration, Packaging, Additives, Vacuum sealing.