EFFECT OF Aloe vera BASED COMPOSITE EDIBLE COATINGS ON PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PEELED CARROTS DURING STORAGE AT ROOM AND REFRIGERATED TEMPERATURES

S. PANWAR¹*, B. MISHRA^2
1Centre of Food Science and Technology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar - 125 004, Haryana, India.
²Centre of Food Science and Technology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar - 125 004, Haryana, India.
* Corresponding Author : sonupanwarfst@gmail.com

Received : 27-04-2015     Accepted : 01-06-2015     Published : 02-07-2015
Volume : 7     Issue : 3       Pages : 460 - 464
Int J Agr Sci 7.3 (2015):460-464

Keywords : Aloe vera, Carrots, Minimal processing, Edible coatings, Physiological loss in weight, decay loss, hunter L a b value
Academic Editor : A. C. Jadhav
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regard to my advisor Dr. (Mrs.) Bhawana Mishra for her exemplary guidance, valuable feedback and constant encouragement throughout the duration of the project. This work was f

When carrots are cut and peeled, the whitish appearance or ‘white blush’ on the surface occurs which reduces consumer acceptance of minimally processed carrots. Aloe gel based composite coatings have shown to prevent loss of moisture, firmness and improves the quality. In the present investigation, three different Aloe vera based composite coatings formulations having Aloe vera gel viz. 5, 10 and 15%, 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose, 5% peanut oil and 2% glycerol monostearate were prepared. Glycerol was used as a plasticizer. Uniform healthy peeled carrots coated with Aloe vera based composite coatings were packed in low density polythene (400 gauge) bags and stored at room (14±3°C, 47±8%) and refrigerated (5±2°C, 55±2%) conditions. The samples were analyzed for various parameters viz. physiological loss in weight, decay loss and hunter L, a and b value on every 2nd day under room condition and on every 4th day under refrigerated condition. During storage, at both room and refrigerated conditions, physiological loss in weight, decay loss, Hunter L value increased while Hunter a and b value decreased. In coated samples at room and refrigerated temperature, 15% AvCC was most effective in reducing physiological loss in weight (14.3% and 10.9%), decay loss (11.6% and 10.2%), Hunter L a b value (55.9 and 56.0; 33.6 and 34.2; 41.9 and 41.7) followed by 10% and 5% Aloe vera based composite coatings as compared to uncoated peeled carrots.