A study was conducted to assess the effect of storage on chemical parameters of dehydrated ber prepared by various treatments and drying methods. Dehydrated ber was prepared by subjecting the ber fruit to different pretreatments viz. blanching in boiling water for six minutes to check enzyme activity followed by one per cent potassium meta-bisulphite (KMS) dip for five minutes, sulphur fumigation for two hours @ 3.5 g kg−1 fruit and then drying by sun and oven methods. Moisture content of dried ber was maintained at about 14 per cent. The product was analyzed at an interval of two months upto six months of storage. An increasing trend was observed in reducing sugar, total sugar, tannin and ash whereas moisture and acidity showed a decreasing trend. After six months of storage, on the basis of sensory evaluation in oven dried method, no preservative + sulphur treated fruit (7.27) was found to be the best followed by no preservative + potassium meta-bisulphite (KMS) treated fruit (7.03).
Ber, dehyration, sun drying, oven drying, shelf life
