TRIALS ON THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OF KIWIFRUIT

The research considered the dehydrofreezing, drying and clear juice production.

The fruits for slices and dices to dehydrofreeze were peeled manually, while for clear juice, they were brushed by machine for removing peels.
Drying was made by air at 48°C, while for dehydrofreezing the kiwifruits were dried both by air and by osmosis up to a 30% and 50% weight loss.
Colour determination, texture and sensory evaluation were made on the samples.
Clear juices were obtained both by cold pressure of pulp and by the polienzymic method.

All the juices were concentrated at 72°Brix.
Chemical analyses and sensory evaluations were carried out on the natural kiwifruit clear juice and on the kiwifruit clear juice mixed with apple and sour cherry clear juices.
The dried kiwifruits were negatively judged because of the deep colour and the firmness changes, as well as the dehydrofrozen ones dried by air.
The fruit dehydrated by osmosis appeared more acceptable because of no or little changes in colour, firmness and taste, and it was fit for production of dehydrofrozen fruit-salad.
The natural kiwifruit clear juices, obtained by the two methods, were not suitable to drink, because of the deep colour and the taste changes caused by the high acidity and astringency.
More interesting results were obtained mixing the kiwifruit clear juice with apple and sour cherry clear juices.

Research carried out for the Ministry of Agriculture Project "Frutticolture" – Publication n. 270