Effect of chemical and thermal treatments on quality parameters and antioxidant activity of apple (pulp) grown in high Himalayan regions

Pulp from locally grown Apple variety was given different treatments (chemical and thermal) and its various quality parameters were studied during a storage period of 90 days. All the quality parameters viz. pH, titrable acidity, total soluble solids, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars, color and antioxidants activity were significantly affected by treatments employed as well as storage period. As a result of chemical and thermal treatments, antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of samples decreased, while color and consumer acceptability significantly improved. Color and antioxidant activity were highly correlated and the type of preservation method used affected the correlation coefficient between color and antioxidant activity. Among different treatments, a combination of pasteurization and chemical preservation was found to be most effective in increasing the shelf life of apple pulp.