Nutritional Quality Evaluation and Value Addition of UnExploited Fruits of Himachal P

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate nutritional quality attributes of selected newlineun- exploited fruits of Himachal Pradesh and also to develop their value added products. Four newlineun- exploited fruits viz loquat (Eriobotrya Japonica), tree tomato (Cyphomandra betacea), newlinecarambola (Averrhoa carambola) and khajru (Phoenix sylvestris) were selected and procured newlinefrom different places of district Kangra. Selected fruits were evaluated for physico-chemical, newlinenutritional, dietary fiber and phyto-chemical constituents. Results of the study revealed that newlinetotal carbohydrates, total sugars and insoluble fiber in carambola were 9.38 ±1.00, 22.50 ±2.00 newlineand 39.62 ±2.00 percent respectively. The potassium, magnesium and vitamin C contents in newlinecarambola were 133.00 ±2.00, 9.50 ±1.00 and 25.50 ±1.50mg/100g respectively. Similarly, newlineloquat was found to be a good source of total carbohydrates (13.00±2.00%) phosphorus newline(26.50±1.10mg/100g), potassium (280.00±5.00 %), ß-Carotene (22.00±1.00 mg/100g) and newlineNDF (17.50±1.00 %). Tree tomato and khajuru had ample amount of phosphorous(48.52±2.00 newlineand 60.00±2.90mg/100), magnesium (22.10±1.02 and 30.00±2.02mg/100), potassium newline(350.00±3.00 and 75.00±3.01 mg/100g), Anthocyanins (5.00±0.50 and 25.10±0.50 mg/100g) newlineand total fiber (56.37±1.00 and 73.56±0.85mg/100). Various value-added products such as newlineRTS, squash, toffee, butter, bar, chutney were developed and assessed fresh and after 6 months newlinestorage for their nutritional, microbiological analysis and shelf life stability stored at ambient newlinetemperatures. On the basis of sensory acceptability, toffees of carambola and loquat and newlinechutney of tree tomato and khajuru were adjudged the best. Further these best value added newlineproducts were blended in varying proportions (100:00, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 00:100) of newlineseasonal/local fruits viz. apple, pineapple, mango and papaya with carambola, loquat, tree newlinetomato and khajuru respectively. The sensory scores of blended products were acceptable till newlinesix months of storage. It can be inferenced that utilization of these unexploited fruits in various newlinevalue-added products as such or with blending with other fruits will not only help the consumer newlineto harness their nutritional and medicinal benefits but will also help in the income enhancement newlineof the local people. The economics of prepared products from underutilized fruits revealed newlinethat the cost of all the products was found to be economically viable. But as the blending newlineproportions increased the cost of the products accordingly newline