EFFECT OF PASSIVE MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING AND PRETREATMENT ON POST HARVEST QUALITY OF GREEN PIGEON PEA KERNELS STORED UNDER AMBIENT CONDITION

Abstract

Green pigeon pea kernels (GPPK’s) are protein rich vegetable. GPPK of BDN-2001-2009 at 70 days of crop maturity was tested to improve shelf-life and reduced browning. 17 treatments of blanching temperature 75, 85, 95°C in combination with 1, 4, 7 min treatment duration and two packaging films polypropylene (PP) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) of 100, 200, 300 gauge were applied. Packets were stored at ambient condition (15- 38°C; 19-49% RH). Observations were recorded at 4 days interval till 12 th day for physiological loss of weight (PLW), firmness, color deviation, moisture content and sensory status. Experiment was conducted in Box- Behnken model and 17 treatments with 6 categoric factors giving 102 treatment combinations were studied. Optimized independent parameters for modified atmosphere packaging of GPPK by response surface methodology were 93.73°C blanching temperature, 1 min blanching time and 267.64 gauge packets. Predicted responses were 0.87% PLW, 3.83 N firmness, 47.83% color deviation, 61.46% moisture content and sensory status of 8.83. Blanching for 1 min at 95°C and packaging in 300 gauges PP, nearest to optimized treatment was found acceptable by HACCP standards at level-2 for microbial load with headspace composition of 12.9% O 2 and 8.1% CO 2 on 12 th day under ambient storage.