Post-Harvest Evaluation of Strawberry Fruit Preserves in Different Concentration of Sucrose Solution and Potash Alum Stored at Ambient Temperature

Abstract

This research work was conducted to study the effect of sucrose solution and pretreatment of potash alum at different concentration on overall quality of the strawberry fruit kept at ambient temperature. Various treatments were designed named as S0, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6 describing different concentrations of sucrose solutions and potash alum. All these treatments were examined physicochemically (Titratable acidity, pH, ascorbic acid, TSS, reducing and non-reducing sugar) and organoleptically (Texture, flavor, color and overall acceptability) at each 15 days interval for three months. Storage results shown that Decreased was found in pH from (3.50 to 3.33), ascorbic acid from (54..68 to 30.23 mg/100 g), non-reducing sugar from (11.89 to 11.04%), color score from (9 to 4.96), texture score from (9 to 5.63), flavor score from (9 to 5.23) and overall acceptability score from (9 to 5.40) while increased were found in TSS from (18.20 to 21.27Brix), titratable acidity from (0.38 to 0.53%) and reducing sugar from (5.58 to 7.88%) throughout storage period. The highest mean value for pH was occurred in treatment S1 (3.45), titratable acidity in S3 (0.50%), TSS in S6 (24.76oBrix), ascorbic acid in S2 (46.30 mg/100 g), reducing sugar in S6 (8.20%), non-reducing sugar in S3 (14.41%), color in S2 (7.60), texture in S2 (7.89), flavor in S3 and S4 (7.60) and overall acceptability in S1 (7.83). Findings revealed potash alum shows better results in 30° and 40°Brix sucrose solution concentration both for physicochemical and organoleptic properties of strawberry.