Physical quality changes of dehydrated strawberry affected by different packaging in a tropical environment

Abstract

Processed fruit strawberry such as dehydrated fruit was important as alternative ways to increase shelf-life and value of the fresh fruit. However, the unfavorable effects of the tropical environment can accelerate the deterioration quality of processed fruit. Applied packaging to protect the processed fruit was an important way to maintain the quality and increasing the shelf-life of the fruit. The objective of the study wants to know the effects of different packaging treatments for reducing unfavorable tropical environment conditions of dehydrated strawberry fruit. Dehydrated fruit strawberry was made using a combination of pre-treatment by osmotic dehydration with hot air convective drying method. The combination for treatments of material and process for production dehydrated strawberry used is a drying temperature of 70°C, concentrate osmotic agents with 50°Brix, immersion time for 60 min, and drying time of 6 h until 9 h.The dehydrated strawberry fruit was packaging used Polyethylene plastic with Nylon that and stored in the ambient tropical temperature condition. Firstly, dehydrated strawberry fruit packaged conventionally using Polyethylene plastics with Nylon packaging with vacuum treatment and secondly, dehydrated fruit without packaging as a control. Physical parameters were analyzed using standard method texture and color of food. Based on the result, vacuum packaging treatments for the treatment of 70°C; 50°Brix; 60 min; 9 h; 36 h can be maintained the color changes and texture of dehydrated strawberry fruit compare with those of control.However, detailed changes in chemical quality and different thickness of vacuum bag packaging needed to be considered for future research.