Introduction:
Preparation of candy with fruits has been popular these days. Candies, also called as Sweets and Lollies are delicious and delightful. Papayas, Mangoes, Pineapples have often been chosen for the preparation of Candies. Candied papayas are also called “tutti-frutti” in native language. Herbal Candy is a way to bring in more whole food nutrition to your diet. They include wholesome herbal ingredients which are Cardamom, Tulsi and Lemon grass.
The FPO specifications for candied fruits having TSS(Total Soluble Solids) value 75%-80% and reducing sugar 25%. Some nutrition experts even contend that the occasional treat can help you feel less deprived and more positive about your relationship with food, which may help you maintain healthy eating habits.
Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit having commercial importance and is famous for its high nutritive and medicinal values. The Candy was prepared by adjusting the level of different ingredients to obtain the best quality. It is organoleptically evaluated for its overall acceptance using nine-point hedonic scales by trained panel of judges. Revanwar et al. (2003)
Preparation of Papaya Candy :
Material used for Candy Preparation:
1.Peeled Papaya : 300g
2.Sugar : 220g
3.Water : 200ml.
4.Flavours : Cardamom Powder, Tulsi Powder, Lemon grass Powder
5. Preservative : Citric Acid (1.5g)
Flow Chart for Papaya Candy Preparation:
Method of Preparation:
Select right quality of raw papaya and wash them properly. Make few streaks on papaya with a knife. Allow latex to flow out and peel the papaya. Cleanse them without latex. Allow them to dry. Cut the papaya and remove the seeds and chop them into small cubes (preferably 2-3 cm in dimension). Soak the cubes in common salt for one hour.
Later, cubes of papaya are blanched in water for 10-15 minutes until they become soft and transparent. Remove the water and drain it properly before transferring cubes into a container. Take another container with 220 ml of water adding 220 grams of sugar to it. Boil the solution until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add 300 grams of papaya cubes to the sugar syrup. Boil them for 20-25 minutes and steep the pieces in the Sugar syrup for 6-8 hours. Add 1.5 grams of citric acid as a preservative.
Add the chosen herbal flavours such as Tulsi, Cardamom and Lemon grass in preferable proportion. Add organic food colour, if required. Drain the papaya cubes from sugar syrup and allow them to dry in shade until they become crisp. Pack them in Bio-degradable polythene pouches or right quality plastic containers.
Why Candies are prepared ?
Fruits are highly perishable commodities made up of living tissues. They are subjected to continuous change and high metabolism. Storing them for a long time can be troublesome. In India, Actual post harvest losses are 25-30% of the value of fruit produce. At this scale the post harvest losses are Rs.6000 to 7000 crores per annum. Converting them into value added products is beneficial. We could save at least 10% of losses.
Uses:
1) Papaya candy lowers cholesterol and boosts up immunity system.
2) It eases digestion and protects against arthritis.
3) Cardamom contains Cancer-fighting compounds.
4) It treats bad breath and prevents cavities.
4) Tulsi present in candies relieves headache and takes good care of eyes.
5) Lemon grass lowers high blood pressure and treats cough and cold.
6) One medium size Papaya contains 120 Calories, 30 grams of Carbohydrates, 5 grams of Fiber, 18 grams of Sugar, 30 grams Pectin.
Why processing and value addition is crucial ?
With food processing it is possible to maintain a safe and nutritious food supply to millions of people and making it available even in the off season. It prolongs the shelf life of the natural food. When farmers cannot attain reasonable prices for their produce they may opt to convert their produce into value added products. Doing so, farmers get financially benefited and their economic stature will be uplifted.
Konche Jahnavi
M.Sc.Horticulture(Fruit Science)
SHUATS, Prayagraj, Uttar-Pradesh
email@jahnavikonche@gmail.com
