The Studies on the Physico-Chemical and Organoleptic Characteristic

A highly significant effect (p<0.05) of storage period on physico-chemical characteristics and sensory parameters of Apricot fruit produced in Rawalakot areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir was investigated at ambient temperature (Relative humidity 60-63% and temperature 28-30 C). The physicoo chemical characteristics such as weight loss, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid and sensory parameters like color, texture, taste, flavour and overall acceptability were studied at an interval of 2 days (0, 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 and 10 day) for a total period of 10 days during storage. It was observed that there nd th th th th was an increasing trend of weight loss (0.00% at 1 day to 12.68% at 8 day of storage), gradual increase st th in TSS (11.8% at 1 day to 12.63% at 8 day of storage and then decreased to 5.22% at 10 day), decreasing st th th trend of titratable acidity (0.94% at 1 day to 0.10% at 10 day) and ascorbic acid (14 mg/100 g at 1 day to st th st 3.760 mg/100 g at 10 day). The organoleptic characteristics showed a gradual increase of colour scores th (4.00 at 1 day to 5.25 at 8 day and at later stage this score was decreased to 1.97 at 10 day of storage), st th th decrease of texture scores (7 at 1 day to 1.97 at 10 day) whereas, taste was increased to maximum st th scores (6.53 at 4 day and then decreased to 2.27 at 8 day of storage period), the flavour score was th th increased (5.00 at 1 day to 6.77 at 6 day and then decreased to 2.41 at 10 day of storage). The overall st th th acceptability score was decreased with the passage of storage period and the highest overall acceptability score was 7.5 at 1 day in the fresh fruit that was reduced to a score 2.1 at the end of 10 day of storage. st th