Optimization of Level of Ingredients for Production of banana-Papaya Mixed Fruit bar Using Response Surface Methodology

Fruit bar is the product prepared by blending pulp from sound ripe fruit, nutritive sweeteners and other ingredients appropriate to the product and dehydrated to form sheet which can be cut to desired shape and size. The research was carried out to optimize levels of different ingredients for production of banana-papaya mixed fruit bar and its quality evaluation. Central composite design (CCD) was used to conduct experiments and optimization was carried out using response surface methodology (RSM). The effect of banana-papaya pulp ratio (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0), citric acid (0.3–1.0%), corn starch (1.0–5.0%) and pectin (0.2–0.6%) was evaluated with respect to overall acceptability scores, hardness, stickiness and ascorbic acid in dried mixed fruit bar. The best recipe was 25:75 of banana- papaya pulp ratio, 0.48% citric acid, 4% corn starch and 0.5% pectin. This resulted in acceptable product with overall acceptability score 7.31, hardness 304.06 N, stickiness 1.57382 N.mm and ascorbic acid 34.10 mg/100g.

This paper covers an exhaustive research work on development of banana-papaya mixed fruit bar using Response Surface Methodology and effects of different ingredients on quality of mixed fruit bar.