Chemical interventions for extending shelf life of minimally processed bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Abstract

The minimal processing procedures like peeling, chopping and slicing would cause physiological effects which affect the quality of minimally processed bitter gourd products. The present investigation was carried out to study the impact of different chemicals on quality of minimally processed bitter gourd. The bitter gourd slices were treated by dipping in T1-100 ppm sodium hypochlorite (NaoCl), T2 - 2% citric acid, T3 - 2% ascorbic acid, T4 - 2% calcium chloride (CaCl2), T5 - 0.1% sodium benzoate, T6 - 1% vinegar, T7 - 100 ppm NaOCl+ 0.5% citric acid, T8 - 100 ppm NaOCl+ 0.5% ascorbic acid, T9 - 100 ppm NaOCl+ 2% CaCl2, T10 - 100 ppm NaOCl + 0.1% sodium benzoate, T11 -100 ppm NaOCl+ 1% vinegar and T12 - distilled water as control to study their impact on quality during 21 days of refrigerated storage. Among the treatments, T9 (100 ppm NaOCl + 2% CaCl2) was found to be the best to treat minimally processed bitter gourd which record the least physiological loss in weight, better retention of chlorophyll, high carotenoid content, low peroxidise enzyme activity and delayed microbial contamination.