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This article throws light upon the six important types of post harvest products. The harvest products are: 1. Jam 2. Jelly 3. Marmalade 4. Candied Fruits & Vegetables 5. Tomato Sauce/Ketchup 6. Pickle.
Harvest Product: Type # 1. Jam:
(a) It is a product made by boiling fruit pulp with sufficient amount of sugar to a reasonable thick consistency.
(b) Jam must contain 68% total soluble solids (TSS) and 45% portion of prepared fruit.
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(c) It contains 0.5-0.6% acid and 40% invert sugar.
(d) It is prepared from Mango, Apple, Pear, Sapota, Peach, Papaya, Karonda, Strawberry, Raspberry, Tomato, Muskmelon, etc.
Judging End Point:
End point of jam is tested to stop the process of cooking. It is adjudged by one of the following methods.
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I. Sheet or flake Test:
A small portion of jam is taken out from cooking pan using spoon. It is allowed to drop. If jam drops in form of sheet in contrast to drop at once, it is considered that jam is ready. It is removed from the fire and filled in bottles while hot.
II. By TSS test:
TSS of cooking jam is read using Hand Refractometer. If the reading reaches to 68%, the jam is considered ready.
III. By temperature test:
When the temperature of cooking jam reaches to 105°C, the jam is considered ready.
Harvest Product: Type # 2. Jelly:
(a) Jelly is a semi-solid transparent product prepared from clear extract of pectin containing fruit after cooking with sufficient quantity of sugar and acid.
(b) Good quality jelly requires at least 0.5% pectin.
(c) Jelly should have 65% TSS and 45% portion of fruit juice.
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(d) The pH of final jelly should be 3.2.
(e) It is prepared from Guava, Sour apple. Plum, Karonda, Wood apple. Gooseberry, Papaya and Luquat. Only ripe fruits are chosen as they contain pectinic acid (protopectin found in developing fruits) form of pectm.
I. Removal of foam or sum: Foam or sum is removed to get transparent jelly. Foam is removed by adding one teaspoonful edible oil for every 45 kg of sugar used.
II. Judging end-point: same as discussed under Jam.
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III. Problems in jelly making:
(i) Failure to set:
Jelly does not receive proper consistency. It fails to set property. It may be due to addition of too much sugar, lack of acid or pectin, cooking below the end point, cooking beyond the end point and cooking for quite a long period. By taking care of these factors, the problem of jelly setting can be avoided.
(ii) Cloudy or foggy jelly:
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The jelly does not become totally transparent. It may be due to use of non-clarified juices, use of immature fruits, overcooking, over-cooling, faulty pouring in bottles etc.
(iii) Syneresis or Weeping jelly:
Exudation of liquid from prepared jelly is termed as syneresis or weeping jelly. It is due to excess of acid, use of low concentration of sugar, lack of pectin, fermentation etc.
IV. Determination of pectin content in the extract of fruit:
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(i) Alcohol test:
One teaspoonful of strained extract of fruit is taken in a beaker. About 3 teaspoonful of methyl alcohol is poured gently along the side wall of the beaker. The mixture is stirred and is allowed to stand for few minutes.
The following is observed:
(i) If single clot is formed, it indicates that grade pectin is present.
(ii) If less firm and fragmented clot is formed, it indicates that ‘B’ grade pectin is present. prejudice
(iii) If numerous small granular clots are formed it indicates that ‘c’ grade pectin is present.
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Jelmeter test:
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Jelmeter is held in the left hand with thumb and forefinger. The bottom of the Jelmeter is dosed with little finger. The strained extract of fruit is poured into the Jelmeter and it is filled up to the brim. The little finger is then removed from the bottom end of Jelmeter and extract is allowed to flow for one minute. At the end of one minute, the little finger is replaced.
The reading of left extract in Jelmeter is noted. The reading figure indicates that how many parts of sugar are to be added to one part of juice.
Harvest Product: Type # 3. Marmalade:
It is prepared from Citrus fruit slices suspended in sugar solution.
Harvest Product: Type # 4. Candied Fruits & Vegetables:
A fruit or vegetable impregnated with the cane sugar or glucose syrup, subsequently draining of syrup leaving it dried, is called candied fruits or vegetables.
Harvest Product: Type # 5. Tomato Sauce/Ketchup:
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(a) Sauce /Ketchup is prepared from strained pulp of fully ripe tomato fruits after cooking it with salt, sugar, vinegar and spices. It is dear, soured product made from strain tomato juice, salt, sugar and vinegar, etc.
(b) It contains tomato juice 12%, TSS 25% and Acidity 1.2%.
(c) Essentially, there is no difference between sauce and ketchup. Sauces contain 30% TSS and are generally thin in consistency. Ketchup contains 28% TSS and are comparatively thick in consistency over sauces.
(d) Suitable fruits/vegetables are tomato, apple, plum, papaya, mushroom, aonla etc.
Harvest Product: Type # 6. Pickle:
(a) The salt concentration in pickle is maintained at 8 to 10 per cent during the first week and increased by 1% in every subsequent week till it reaches to 16 per cent.
Institutions Involved:
(i) Agriculture and Processed Food Product Export Development Authority (APEDA), New Delhi.
(ii) Central Institute for Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET), Ludhiana.
(iii) Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore.
(iv) Food and Agriculture Organization (F AO), Rome.
(v) National Horticultural Board (NHB), Gurgaon.
