Effect of dehydration and packing techniques on the quality of guava supari

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) fruit is rich in carbohydrates, fibre, vitamin-C, pectin and minerals. Guava supari was prepared using three different dehydration techniques, viz. solar drying, cabinet drying and freeze drying. The product was packed in laminated aluminum foil with and without nitrogen flushing. It was stored at room temperature for six months and analyzed for different physico-chemical attributes at each month. The results revealed that freeze drying was the best technique for better retention of nutraceutical elements like ascorbic acid, phenolics and total anti-oxidant compounds. Cabinet and solar drying resulted in more losses of nutraceutical compounds in increasing order. During storage of product, gradual decrease in ascorbic acid, phenolics and total anti-oxidants as well as sensory scores was observed. However, decline was more sharp in solar and cabinet dried samples than freeze dried samples. The freeze dried product obtained higher score during sensory evaluation of product than cabinet and solar dried samples. Nitrogen flushing influenced quality retention positively as observed by comparative low losses in physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of guava supari during storage. Non-enzymatic browning of supari was also found to be least in case of freeze dried nitrogen flushed samples. Overall, Freeze drying coupled with nitrogen flushing was found to be the best technique for preparation and storage of guava supari.