Aonla products
Practical Action
Tough texture, shrinkage or gaseous fermentation during storage are commonly encountered
troubles that pose a big problem in stabilising the shelf life and commercialisation of this
product.
Recommended method and storage study results
Scientists at the Punjab Agricultural University studied the scientific approach to enhancing the
shelf life of aonla preserve to improve its commercial production. As quite a few excellent
plantations of aonla fruits are coming up, screening for suitable varieties for preserve making is
being carried out.
Improved method includes; washing and selected bold fruit are dipped in 2% common salt
solution until the green fruit changes to a creamish colour, with replacement of the brine solution
on alternate days. The fruit are thoroughly washed, pricked with a stainless steel pricker and then
blanched in boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Sugar equal to the weight of fruits is sprinkled over
the fruit and kept overnight. The next day one boiling is given to the whole mass and syrup is
then drained out. The syrup is thoroughly boiled and concentrated by adding more sugar to 54-
55°Brix strength and mixed with fruit. The following day the fruit are taken out and syrup is
concentrated to 75°Brix by adding sugar and boiling. Aonla fruit are added back and allowed to
stand in syrup for couple of days. When the oBrix of the syrup stabilises at around 70°, the
preserve is packed in clean, sterilised, dry glass jars and stored at ambient room temperature
away from direct sunlight.
The prepared preserve was analysed for physico-chemical composition to find out its storage
behaviour for 6 months and it was found that there was reduced losses in all physico-chemical
and organoleptic attributes as presented in the table.
Table
Character
Aonla fruit
Aonla preserve
OBrix
PH
Acidity (% citric acid)
Ascorbic acid (mg/100g)
Reducing sugars (% dextrose)
Total sugars (% dextrose)
Protein (% N2X 6.25)
Pectin (calcium pectate)
Tannins
9.26
3.2
2.16
526.8
2.63
3.42
0.71
0.52
0.87
71.0
3.6
0.09
95.4
43.30
62.11
0.75
0.13
0.68
Aonla Candy - Fruit candies are becoming more and more popular because of high acceptability,
minimum volume, higher nutritionally value and longer storage life. These have additional
advantage of being least thirst provoking and ready to eat snacks.
For the preparation of aonla candy, mature fruit are washed, pricked and dipped in 2 percent salt
solution for 24 hours. Then fruits are washed and dipped in 2% alum solution for 24 hours. The
fruit are thoroughly washed and blanched in boiling water for 5 minutes and steeped in 50° Brix
syrup solution for 24 hours. The next day steeping is done in 60° Brix for 24 hours. Again
steeping is done in 70° Brix for 72 hours. Excess syrup is drained. The fruit are dried to 15%
moisture content and coated with powdered sugar/pectin. Packaging is done in polythene
pouches (400 gauge).
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