Effect of Sapota (Manilkara zapota L.) Pieces Dried by Different Methods on Biochemical Constituents during Storage

摘要

Sapota (Manilkara zapota L.) is an climacteric fruit and ripened quickly after harvest. Once ripe, it needs to be consumed within a couple of days due to the highly perishable nature of this exquisite fruit variety. Drying is old and easy method to convert the perishable fruit into stabilised dehydrated products that can be stored for an extended period of time. In this study, effect of sapota pieces dried by solar and oven drying on the quality of sapota fruit was investigated. Ascorbic acid, total phenols and total sugars decreased in sapota powder during storage up to 90 days. Sapota powder prepared in solar dryer had maximum ascorbic acid (10.90 mg/100 g) and total sugars (33.20%), whereas maximum total phenols (4.62 mg/g) were observed in oven-dried powder on all periods of storage. Sapota dried after cutting in 5 mm pieces had maximum ascorbic acid (10.95 mg/100 g), total sugars (32.94%) and total phenols (4.44 mg/g) in both the methods of drying.