SHELF LIFE ENHANCEMENT OF COCONUT BURFI – AN INDIAN TRADITIONAL SWEET

ABSTRACT Coconut burfi is a popular traditional sweet of south India. The high percentage of saturated fat present in the product makes it susceptible to hydrolytic rancidity. The resulting increase in free fatty acid content coupled with mold growth limit its shelf life to 7–10 days in unpacked condition. Studies have been carried out on packaging and storage aspects of coconut burfi to extend its shelf life. The samples were packed in flexible pouches of multilayer films consisting of (1) polyester/polyethylene; and (2) polyester/aluminum foil/polypropylene under the following conditions: (1) normal packing; (2) 99% vacuum packaging; and (3) in‐package heat processing, and were stored at 27C temperature and 65% relative humidity and periodically withdrawn to monitor changes in chemical, microbiological and sensory qualities. A maximum of 75 days shelf life was obtained for heat‐processed samples as against <15 and 45 days for air and vacuum packed samples respectively in both packaging materials.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSBy this study, the shelf life of coconut burfi has been extended to two and a half months, which enables to increase the marketability and sale of the product and make the nutritious product conveniently available for everybody.