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International Journal of Horticulture 2013, Vol.3, No.6, 22
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http://ijh.sophiapublisher.com
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increase in reducing sugar content in the squash was
observed when the juice content increased up to
35%. Thus, the maximum conversion into reducing
sugars was noted in the treatment (T6) having higher
level of juice as well as TSS in the product. This
treatment contributes to the sufficiently high level of
polysaccharides from juice and maximum level of
sugar (50°B TSS) which are broken down into
simple sugars under the influence of high acid level
in the squash. Enzymes (invertase) could also
contribute to this inversion to a little extent. The
total sugar content was higher in squash recipes with
50°B TSS maintained initially than those with 45°B
TSS. Analogous observations were recorded by
Reddy and Chikkasubbanna (2008) in lime blended
aonla squash and reported higher values of reducing
and total sugars with increase in the brix of the
squash. In the present investigation, total sugar
content increased significantly throughout the
storage period of six months. This could be due to
the hydrolysis of polysaccharides during storage.
The present results are in line with the observations
made by Jain et al (1988) who reported increasing
trend in reducing sugar (45% to 50.2%) and total
sugar (50.55% to 52.88%) in litchi squash cv
Calcuttia, whereas Sudha et al (2007) noticed
increasing trend in total sugar content (40.84% to
41.76%) of sapota squash prepared from sapota
fruits of CO
2
cultivar after 30 days of storage.
The sensory parameters except colour and texture
were significantly influenced by recipes whereas
variation in all sensory parameters except texture
was also noted due to storage period (Table 2). The
squash recipes had no effect on the colour
acceptability scores; however, it declined signify-
cantly throughout the storage period. A slight
discolouration of sapota squash was noticed which
might be due to oxidation and amino acid sugar
interaction (Saikia and Saikia, 2002). A decrease in
colour score of plum squash was reported to be due
to copolymerization, interaction between phenolic
compounds and proteins as well as formation of
cation complexes with pectin (Barwal et al., 2002).
The sensory score for flavour was highest in the
sapota squash with 30% juice+50°B TSS (T4).
However, increasing the juice level up to 35%
declined the flavour acceptability as it imparted
more intense flavour which was not liked by the
panelists. In storage, decreasing trend in flavour
score could be due to loss of volatile aromatic
substances responsible for flavour (Thakur and
Barwal, 1998). Gajanana et al (2007) reported
slightly higher flavour score (2.73) for aonla squash
with 25% pulp+40°B TSS than the squash with 25%
pulp+50°B TSS (2.61).
Non-significant effects of recipes and storage period
were noticed on the textural qualities of sapota
squash, but taste score was significantly influenced
by the juice and TSS level. The squash with 30%
juice and 50°B TSS was rated superior to all other
recipes with respect to taste, which might be due to
better compatibility of juice and TSS levels arriving
at suitable sugar-acid ratio in the product. Taste
acceptability score declined significantly due to loss
of flavour components during storage. Sethi (1993)
reported lower taste score of 5.5 for litchi squash by
the end of six months of storage.
As regards overall acceptability of the product, the
squash prepared with 30% juice+50°B TSS was
rated the best, but remained at par with the squash
recipe of 25% juice + 50°B TSS. It indicated that the
juice and TSS level of 25% and 50°B TSS was the
optimum for the preparation of sapota squash. This
might be due to better colour, flavour, texture and
acceptable sugar-acid blend of the squash prepared
with this recipe. The overall acceptability of the
squash influenced significantly by the storage period
and declined significantly during storage period of
six months due to decline in colour, flavour and taste
acceptability of the product. Waskar and Khurdiya
(1987) observed decline in overall acceptability of
phalsa squash from 8.10 to 4.40 after 180 days of
storage. Similar declining trend in overall
acceptability was noticed by Dwivedi et al (2004) in
sea buckthorn squash and Jadhav et al (2004) in
Karonda squash.
In general, the cost of production of sapota squash
increased as the juice and TSS level in the squash
increased with corresponding decline in net profit as
well as B: C ratio (Table 3).