Development of dragon fruit leather

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to preparation of fruit leather from red flesh dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus). The leather was prepared by using red flesh dragon fruit pulp and sugar as 60:40. The prepared homogeneous mixture of 78° Brix consisted of pectin (4g), potassium metabisulphite (0.1g), citric acid (1g). The development dragon fruit leather dried at different temperature (55 °C, 65 °C and 75 °C) with different thickness (2, 3 and 4 mm) in mechanical tray drier. The result showed that after optimization process the best treatment obtained was 60:40 of dragon fruit pulp and sugar at drying temperature of 55 °C with 2 mm of pulp thickness and the final moisture content was 16 per cent (wb), TSS 78.1, Total sugar 68.8. The mean score as per 9 point hedonic scale of fresh dragon fruit leather for colour and appearance was 8.1, texture 8.1, flavour 8.2, taste 8.1 and overall acceptability 8.1 on point hedonic scale.