19-08-2014, 11:22 AM
Heritage/traditional foods in any part of the globe are expected to be most appropriate for us because these are time tested. Malai peda is a traditional milk based confection prepared from milk condensed to 25 % of its volume followed by sweetening and acidification. Due to its moisture range, mildly acidic nature, warm, humid atmosphere it is more susceptible to mold and yeast growth. With enlargement of product marketing radius of the industry it has become essential to increase the shelf life of the product.
Heritage/traditional foods in any part of the globe are expected to be most appropriate for us because these are time tested. Malai peda is a traditional milk based confection prepared from milk condensed to 25 % of its volume followed by sweetening and acidification. Due to its moisture range, mildly acidic nature, warm, humid atmosphere it is more susceptible to mold and yeast growth. With enlargement of product marketing radius of the industry it has become essential to increase the shelf life of the product.
Various preservation techniques such as chemical preservation, biopreservation and better packaging profile by integration of the use of better packaging materials as well as new packaging systems such as modified atmosphere packaging, active packaging are beneficial in extension of the shelf life of food products.
Standardization of malai peda was carried out by optimizing the level of one ingredient at a time.
Buffalo milk of 6.4% fat and 8. 5% SNF, sugar added at the level of 50gm/lit in milk, addition of 0.04g/lit citric acid resulted in optimum quality of malai peda. Samples prepared from optimized levels of ingredients were analyzed for moisture, protein, fat, reducing sugar, colour, texture, total plate count, yeast and mould count. Effect of chemical preservative - potassium sorbate and biopreservative - nisin on shelf life of malai peda was studied. Prepared samples were stored at 200C and 75 % RH in four layer laminates and periodically analyzed for textural properties. The microbiological quality of the stored peda was also analyzed periodically in terms of total plate count, yeast and mold count and S.aureus count. Potassium sorbate incorporated in malai peda at 0.2,0.3,0.4% w/w helped in reducing total plate count, yeast and mold count and S.aureus count over a period of 15 days when stored in four layer laminate at 200C and 75% RH. Nisin when used at 6 to 18 ppm concentration did not exhibit adequate preservative action.
Further effect of active packaging (oxygen scavenging sachets) on shelf life of malai peda was studied.
Oxygen-scavenging sachets were found to be effective in controlling the microbial growth over 15 days of storage at 200C and 75% RH. Further preservation of malai peda samples was studied using modified atmosphere packaging and vacuum packaging. Malai peda samples were prepared and packed in high barrier laminates with different combination of CO2 and N2. Vacuum packaging of malai peda was also carried out. Modified atmospheric packaging of malai peda with 100% CO2 was found to extend the shelf life of peda up to 20 days. Peda packed with 100% vacuum was preserved up to 15 days.