PROCESSING OF GUAVA IN THE FORM OF DEHYDRATED SLICES AND LEATHER

Ready-to-use dehydrated guava products such as dehydrated guava slices and leather, can be prepared from firm and ripe guava fruits. The osmo-dried guava slices were prepared after cutting guava fruits into 1.5 cm thick slices cored and dipping in different concentration of sugar syrup solution containing 0.05 per cent KMS and 0.1 per cent citric acid for varying time period and temperature 6 h. The results indicated that water loss and solid gain increased with the increase in sugar concentrations and temperatures of the solution during osmosis process. The optimum solid gain (13.1%), water loss (34. 2%) and mass reduction (21.1%) in slices were recorded in 60°B sugar solution at 60°C temperature. Osmotic drying considerably increased sugar content and reduced acidity without any significant changes in colour, texture and original flavour of the slices. Guava leather was prepared from guava pulp extracted by heat process and addition of sugar, citric acid and 750 ppm KMS to the pulp and drying in the cabinet drier at 60 ±2°C. For the storage of product the optimum RH was found to be 60 per cent and the critical and danger points were found to be 11.26 and 8.40 per cent moisture level, respectively. The product was acceptable up to 9 months when it was stored in 200 g polyethylene bags at 17–34°C.