Quality assessment of apricot jam supplemented with Sea buckthorn pulp

This study was conducted to assess the quality of apricot jam supplemented with sea-buckthorn pulp. The treatments were AS0 (Whole apricot), AS1 (90% apricot and 10% sea buckthorn), AS2 (80% apricot and 20% sea buckthorn), AS3 (70% apricot and 30% sea-buckthorn) and AS4 (50% apricot and 50% sea buckthorn). Physicochemical, sensory and microbial analysis was conducted at an interval of 15 days for two months storage. The ascorbic acid content was declined during storage from 51.65 to 43.53 mg/100g, the lowest decrease was noted in AS4 (6.58%) while maximum reduction was in AS0 (54.82%). The pH was declined during storage from 3.62 to 3.39. Total soluble contents were increased during storage from 66.88 to 67.30 Brix. Titratable acidity also increased during storage from 0.65 to 1.09 %. Total reducing sugar content was increased during storage from 32.66 to 34.66%. The lowest non reducing sugar content was recorded in AS4 (10.64%) while maximum in AS0 (17.22%). Total phenolic content also declined during storage from 442.98 to 256.01 mgGAE/g, where minimum decreases was noted in AS4 (39.20%) while maximum in AS0 (43.86%). The color score given by the panel of judges was decreased from 8.0 to 4.96. The flavor score decreased from 7.86 to 4.78. The overall acceptability was decreased from 7.76 to 4.7, and minimum loss in score was noticed in AS4(16.31%) andthe highestin AS0 (79.30%). On the base of physico-chemical and sensory evaluation; treatment AS4 (apricot pulp 50% + sea-buckthorn 50%) found to be good as compared to others treatments.


Introduction
Apricot botanically known as Prunus armeniaca is an important member of the family Rosaceae. "Khubani" is commonly used as local name for apricot in Pakistan. Apricot is considered as an important and vital fruit that is grown around the world. The worldwide production of apricots is about 38,31883 tones and the total area under apricot cultivation is 5,20455 hectares [1]. Globally Pakistan stands on third spot when it comes to the production of apricot and annual fresh production volume [2,3]. The main apricot producing regions in Pakistan include Gilgit-Baltistan, Malakand division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), andthe upper parts of Balochistan [4]. Apricots are considered as the most delightful temperate fruit. Apricot fruit is a good source of glucose, sucrose, and fructose. It also good source of various mineral, vitamins and phenolic compounds [5,6]. The imminence of vitamin C, E, carotenes, polyphenols and flavonoids additionally add to the cancer prevention agent action of this fruit. Due to its natural antioxidant activity, apricot shows prominent defense and guard against malignancy (cancer) and coronary diseases like heart disease [7]. Apricot is also utilized as drug in the treatment of skin illnesses, parasitic infections and diseases. The fruit is considered as antipyretic, emetic, antiseptic and ophthalmic [8].
Sea-buckthorn botanically known as Hippophae rhamnoides is referred as a distinctive remedial, medicinal, and fragrant plant. It is an important member of the family Elaegnaceae. Sea-buck thorn is an middling and average sized and minor deciduous tree and an outsize shrub of 2.5-6 meter tall. The major stalk has a broad and bumpy woof or bark. Immature twigs or branches stay smooth and even whereas from color point of view grey and light ash in color with piercing spines and thorns [9]. Sea buckthorn bears yellow or orange red color berries [10]. In Pakistan sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), is scattered in Northern regions like Kurram Agency, Chitral, upper Swat, Utror-Gabral, Gilgit, Astore, Ganche, Baltistan, Ladak and everywhere throughout the Northern regions from elevation of 1219 to 4266 m [11]. In general, the major components of the seabuck thorn seeds or berries are vitamin C, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin E, fatty acids, triacylglycerol, phytosterols, organic acids, phenolic compounds and proanthocyanins. Sea-buckthorn does not consist of anthocyanins usually for red and blue berries, and only very slight amounts of ellagitannins (hydrolysable tannins) have been detected [12]. The flesh or pulp of seabuck thorn carries a considerable superior quality oil that is very much important in health and therapeutic value [13]. Maximum sum of seed/kernel oil is 17.8% in Hyppophae rhamnoides sub spp. tibetana and lowest one is 7.8% in Hyppophaeneurocarpa [14]. In these days, it is well-known that sea buckthorn is affluent in bioactive compounds, and their health effects are studied precisely. A significant number of studies have been carried out in China, Russia, and other Asian countries [15]. Other fruit pulps were mixed with seabuckthorn berry's pulp to present a product with enhanced nutritional quality and complex amounts of carotenoids, vitamin E and antioxidants. This value-added invention could play an important role in human nutrition [16]. Keeping in view the above mentioned facts, this study was conducted to develop nutritionally rich apricot jam blended with sea-buckthorn pulp and evaluate the quality of jam among different treatments.

Materials and Methods
This study was conducted at Institute of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Collection of raw materials
The raw materials like apricot and sea buckthorn for jam preparation was collected from Gilgit-Baltistan a province of Pakistan with the help of Agriculture Department Skardu Baltistan.

Preparation of samples
The apricot and sea buckthorn sample were cleaned and washed properly for pulp preparation. The pulp was prepared by using pulpier machine and all the required samples were prepared accurately keeping in mind the treatment ratios. The treatment formulation is given in (Table 1).

Physicochemical analysis
Different physic-chemical parameters like ascorbic acid, total soluble solids, titratable acidity of the pH, reducing sugar and nonreducing sugar of blended jam prepared from apricot and sea buckthorn was determined by the standard method [17]. Total phenolic content of sample was determined by Folin-Ciocalteiu reagent method [18].      (12.19). The degradation of the ascorbic acid might proceed anaerobically when once the devoured oxygen has been devoted by the chemical reactions; to form furfural ascorbic acid worsens by several steps under the anaerobic conditions [27,28] also studied that in a strawberry jam there was a considerable decrease in the ascorbic acid content (Table 7).   (Table 9).  significantly (p < 0.05) from 7.76 to 4.7. As the color and flavor of jam samples were also decreased during storage period, so these collective changes also declined the overall acceptability of the jam samples (Table 11). Decrease in overall acceptability was also reported by [31].