Influence of packaging materials on storage of shatavari (Asparagus racemosus Willd.) root powder

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Department of Post Harvest Technology, KRC College of Horticulture,Arabhavi, Belagavi district, Karnataka, India during 2020-21 to find out the suitable packaging material for storage ofshatavari root powder in Factorial Completely Randomized Design with two factors (types of roots and packagingmaterials). Different packaging materials viz., aluminium pouch, polyethylene lined aluminium pouch and polypropylenepouch were used for packing of shatavari root powder. Magnesium silicate, an anticaking agent was used at 1.00 and 1.50per cent concentration to avoid the caking of powder and vacuum packaging were also tried for these different packagingmaterials for storage of shatavari root powder without anticaking agent. The minimum moisture content (7.64%), wateractivity (0.550), L value (63.76) was noticed in yellow roots after three months of storage whereas maximum moisturecontent (8.10%), water activity (0.561) and L value (67.68) was observed in white root after three months of storage.Shatavari powder packed in polyethylene lined aluminium (laminated) pouch with vacuum recorded lower moisture content(6.25%), water activity (0.416), a* value (2.72), maximum L value (72.33) and b* value (19.82) followed by polyethylenelined aluminium pouch with 1.5 per cent magnesium silicate. The polyethylene lined aluminium pouch with vacuumcondition or 1.5 per cent magnesium silicate proved better for storage of shatavari root powder.