Studies on preparation and preservation of persimmon (Diospyros kakiL.) pulp

Abstract

The present study was conducted to prepare and preserve persimmon pulp using different preservation methods along with their evaluation for quality and storage stability. The maximum pulp recovery of 88.30% was obtained by hot pulping of persimmon fruits with peel (T3). T3 treatment selected for further studies on the basis of higher sensory scores possessed 0.61 mg/100 g β-carotene, 8.71 mg/100 g, ascorbic acid, 2.91% crude fibre, 6.41 mg/100 g total phenols, and 62.35% antioxidant activity. The preservation of pulp reflected that the persimmon pulp of treatment T1 (pulp + KMS @ 2,000 ppm in glass jars) retained higher ascorbic acid, β-carotene, total phenols, and antioxidant activity during 6 months of storage period. Henceforth, it is concluded that ripe Hachiya persimmon which otherwise is processed to a limited extent, can be successfully converted into pulp and utilized in various products to improve their nutritional quality. Practical applications Persimmon is highly perishable climacteric fruit that may deteriorate quickly when stored at ambient temperature. The fruit, even in convenient storage conditions, has a limited shelf life compared with other fruits. Therefore, after harvesting, a significant amount of mature persimmons should be processed into certain products to preserve the fruit's bioactive components and maintain overall quality. The lack of consistent information on the storage and transport factors leads to losses at the end of production process as well as during the marketing of the fruit. These losses are due to excessive ripening, loss of firmness, rot, and peel browning. But processing of persimmon is a challenge owing to its mushiness when ripe as it is a climacteric fruit. Henceforth, various methods are employed to extract pulp in order to get the maximum yield and retain nutritional and functional quality.