PRODUCTION AND EVALUATION OF PARTIALLY AIR DEHYDRATED AND EDIBLE COATED MANGO SLICES

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of osmosis, partially dehydrating and edible coating with chitosan on physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory evaluation of mango slices after processing and during storage at controlled room temperature (25±3◦C). Mango slices (keitt cultivar) were osmotic dehydrated by immersing in sucrose solution 60% till moisture content reached about 55% (T1), and then partially air dehydrated to moisture contents 40% (T2), 30% (T3) and 20% (T4 and T5). Treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 were dipped into coating forming chitosan solution, while T5 was a control. The results showed that weight loss, moisture content and osmotic dehydration ratio were 41.5%, 55.13% and 1.70:1, respectively, after osmosis. The results indicated that moisture content of osmotic dehydrated, then partially air dehydrated coated mango slices (T2, T3 and T4) were 41.11, 29.52 and 19.67%, respectively. Results indicated that osmotic dehydrated mango slices then partially air dehydrated and coated were maintained physical and chemical properties during storage at controlled room temperature compared with control treatment. Statistical analysis of sensory evaluation for coated partially air dehydrated mango slices (T2 and T3 ) showed an acceptable scores sensory evaluation for 6 month at 25±3◦C, while treatment (T1)was an acceptable scores sensory evaluation for 2 months from storage. Edible coating with chitosan- methyl cellulose of osmotic dehydrated mango slices or osmotic dehydrated then partially air dehydrated was not accompanied by a remarkable increase in microbial load during storage.