TITLE:
Effects of Syrup Solution with Different Concentrations of Citric Acid on Quality and Storage Life of Canned Litchi
AUTHORS:
Nang Ngwe Chi Win, Than Than Soe, Abhijit Kar, Yi Yi Soe, Myat Lin
KEYWORDS:
Litchi, Canning, Colour, Total Phenolics Content, pH, Quality
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.8 No.10,
October
26,
2021
ABSTRACT: Litchi fruit is a drupe or stone fruit. It is conical, heart-shaped or spherical with a thick leathery, indehiscent pericarp at maturity. Litchi is known for its pleasant flavour and juicy aril with attractive red colour pericarp. It is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Litchi fruits are generally eaten fresh because of their very short storage life and it ripens quickly, short production period and shelf life. Such fruit may be converted into value-added products such as juice, jelly, squash, canned litchi, nuts, and frozen litchi. The most common process to preserve litchi is canning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and storage of canned litchi affected by syrup solution with different citric acid concentrations. The experiment was conducted at the laboratory of Postharvest Technology Department, ACARE, Yezin Agricultural University by using a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments were the litchi flesh and syrup which consisted of sucrose, distilled water without citric acid is treated as control and others are treated with citric acid (0.2% and 0.4%) filled in a glass jar stored at room temperature. Data on total soluble solid, pulp firmness, pulp colour (a*), total titratable acidity, pH, total sugar, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, total phenolics content and microbial analysis were collected and analysed. The canned litchi slightly increased in pulp colour with a slightly decrease in pH value. The more the citric acid% in canned litchi is, the more the pulp colour changed with the decrease in pH value along the storage periods is. There were no significant changes in total soluble solid and pulp firmness of canned litchi till the end of the storage. There was decreased in total sugar, non-reducing sugar and total titratable acidity. However, there were increased in reducing sugar, ascorbic acid and total phenolics content. There was no occurrence of total viable count, yeasts and moulds in canned litchi throughout the storage periods.