Effect of vacuum packaging on storage stability of osmotic dehydrated coconut

Abstract

Sugar solution was used as osmotic agents for the processing of osmotic dehydrated coconut and packed in aerobic and vacuum condition. The free fatty acid content of aerobic packaged dehydrated coconuts T0, T1, and T3 were between the range of 0.410 to 1.186, 0.404 to 0.564 and 0.394 to 0.523 per cent, respectively, whereas the value of vacuum packaged samples were ranged between 0.410 to 1.141, 0.404 to 0.538 and 0.394 to 0.498 per cent. Initially T0, T1 and T2 contained 4.52, 4.45 and 4.38 per cent of peroxide value, respectively. At the end of the storage, the values were increased between the range of 8.34 to 7.46 (control), 5.79 to 5.32 (T1) and 5.19 to 5.07 (T­2) per cent. The samples T1 and T2 initially had 4.0 x 106/g of bacteria which showed an increase of 6.0 and 5.0 x 106/g the end of the storage.