Evaluate the effect of edible coating and packaging to enhancing the shelf-life and quality of sugarcane jaggery

Jaggery is a natural, traditional sweetener made by concentrating sugarcane juice. Jaggery can become hygroscopic due to incorrect packaging, which reduces its quality and shelf life. The present study was conducted to increase the quality and shelf life of jaggery by Aloe vera gel and sago starch as edible coating along with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and vacuum packages. The parameters such as reducing sugar, moisture content, viable cell count, total soluble solids, pol value, purity, pH, ash and sensory quality were analyzed at the two-week interval from the initial to 8^th weeks and responses were analyzed statistically to determine the quality of the coated jaggery with uncoated non-packed sugarcane jaggery. The results were the reducing sugar, moisture content, viable cell count, purity, pH, and ash were successfully controlled in the sugarcane jaggery coated with Aloe vera gel and sago before the storage to enhance the shelf-life and maintain the quality, While low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and vacuum package method also had significant results in moisture, pH and Brix value over the non-packed sugarcane jaggery without alter the sensory characteristics.