Effect of sugar concentration and time interval on quality and storability of ber chuhara

Conditions were optimized to develop a candy like product (chuhara) from ber (Zizyphus mauritiana) by osmo-air drying process. The pretreatments like dipping in boiling NaOH (5%) solution for 5 min. followed by rinsing in water along with citric acid (5%) and finally dipping in KMS solution (4000 ppm) for 12 h accelerated the rate of osmosis. Pretreated ber fruits were then dipped in different sugar concentrations of 40, 50, 60 and 70°Brix at 24, 48 and 72 h. The treated fruits were then air-dried at 52 ± 2°C. With the increase in storage period, the moisture, ascorbic acid and tannin contents decreased, whereas, total sugars increased. On the basis of quanitative parameters and sensory traits it was found that ber chuhara prepared with 60°Brix steeping for 72 h rated the best, followed by those prepared with 70 or 50°Brix sugar syrups.