Effect of Storage Conditions and Packaging Material on Quality of Anardana

Wild pomegranate arils were blanched in hot water at 85°C for one minute and then pretreated by soaking in 0.2% solution of potassium metabisulphite (KMS) for 2 minutes. The pretreated arils were dried in a mechanical drier at 60°C as well as in a solar drier. The time taken to bring the moisture content to 8% (db) during mechanical drying and solar drying was 5.5 hours and 13 hours respectively. The dried pomegranate arils (anardana) were packaged in HDPE, LDPE and PP film packages and stored under ambient (14-39°C) and refrigerated (7°C) conditions. The quality of anardana, during storage for 12 months, was determined based on moisture content, total sugars, acidity, ascorbic acid, tannins and colour (overall change in colour, hue angle and chroma). Packages and storage temperature were found to have a significant effect in controlling the quality parameters during its storage. Anardana packed in HDPE film packages can be best stored for 9 months under refrigerated conditions and 6 months under ambient condition without any major loss in quality.