Effect of Vacuum Packaging on Quality of Pomegranate Arils during Storage

Abstract

Development of advanced lifestyle increased consumer preference towards preservative free, nutrient rich and ready to eat fresh fruits. Vacuum packaging increases shelf life of fresh produce, reduces quality deterioration by preventing from aerobic spoilage. Safety and quality assurance of packaged fruits/fruit products has concerns world-wide due to quality deterioration and increase in endogenous enzymatic reaction during storage. Minimally processed, ready to eat pomegranate arils are in great demand that satisfy the consumer requirements such as convenient, freshly available, healthy food, and saves time and labor. This study aims to extend the shelf life of pomegranate arils (Punica granatum L.) by vacuum packaging. Two different packaging materials such as LDPE and HDPE were used and the vacuum packed arils were stored under ambient and refrigerated conditions. The quality changes & physicochemical properties such as colour, physical weight loss, firmness, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, total anthocyanin content and microbial load were analyzed. Results indicated that the shelf life of normally packed pomegranate arils were up to 8 days whereas vacuum packed arils were extended to 22 days under refrigerated condition. HDPE has minimal effect on physicochemical properties of arils as compared to LDPE.