INFLUENCE OF SOFTENING PROCESS ON QUALITY OF DATES FRUITS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AEnRI) , Giza, EGYPT.

Abstract

As food-engineering processes affecting fruit quality, the influence of softening process on date fruit texture was the aim of this experimental study.  Annual production of dates in the Arabic countries is about 65.23% of the world production, which commonly used consumed in Tamr stage (fresh fruits) where fruit moisture content becomes less than 30%.  Three different temperatures (50, 60 and 70ºC) and five different exposure time (15, 30, 60, 120 and 180 s) were used to study and examine their effect on texture profile analysis (TPA) characteristics of date fruit (Sukkari). The obtained results showed that, the exposure time had more effect on the total color difference than the softening temperature. The obtained data also revealed that, the results of TPA characteristics tests were significantly affected by exposure time than softening temperature except adhesiveness and cohesiveness.