IMPACT OF ANTIOXIDANTS, PACKAGING MATERIAL AND STORAGE TEMPERATURE ON PHYSIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, SENSORY AND SHELF LIFE OF POMEGRANATE ARILS

The present rise in the production and consumption of fresh-cut horticulture produce is a result of modern consumer lifestyles and their need for quick-to-use, natural and healthy products. Pomegranates' stiff peel, which makes it challenging to extract the seeds, restricts their use as fresh fruit. Due to water loss, softening, increased respiration, aril browning, and microbiological contamination, minimally processed (MP) pomegranate arils lose quality and have a shorter shelf life. The goal of the current research was to determine how antioxidants, packing, and storage temperature affected the physio-chemical properties and shelf life of pomegranate aril. Antioxidants (ascorbic acid, citric acid, and honey) made up factor I; packing material (polyethylene film and punnet) made up factor II; and storage temperature (0°C and 5°C) made up factor III. All three factors were replicated twice in a factorial randomised block design. In terms of physio-chemical characteristics, such as titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and sensory quality features such as colour, flavour, and taste, citric acid at 5% had the highest results among the antioxidant treatments. The packaging material (punnets) and storage temperature (0°C) showed the same pattern. The combination of citric acid, punnets, and 0°C (A3 + P2 + S1) recorded the best results in physio-chemical parameters, sensory quality, and extending the shelf life (30 days) of pomegranate arils based on the total interaction of all treatments.