Storage Longevity of Passion Fruit Squash

The present investigation on the storage longevity of passion fruit squash was carried out in the Experimental laboratory of the Department of Pomology and Post Harvest Technology, Faculty of Horticulture, Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar during 2007-08. Four treatment combinations of both yellow and purple passion fruit squash with different concentrations of sugar and preservatives were evaluated for extending the storage life of squash. In yellow passion fruit squash T₃ (6.38 °Brix) and in purple passion fruit squash T₄ (8.23 °Brix) were found to have very less percentage change of TSS over initial value after six month of storage. The acidity value among various treatments, T₃ for yellow passion fruit squash and T₄ for purple passion fruit squash had recorded minimum percentage change in acidity over initial after six month of storage. The ascorbic acid content in different treatments for both yellow and purple passion fruit squash were found to decrease throughout the storage period. Considering mould count after six month of storage, T₃ was found best treatment both for yellow and purple passion fruit squash. The effect of KMS was better for suppressing mould growth than sodium benzoate. It was observed that hedonic score for yellow and purple passion fruit squash was decreased with increase in storage period. The yellow passion fruit squash prepared with 250 ml juice + 460 g sugar + 290 ml water + 1 g citric acid + 0.6 g KMS as preservative and the purple passion fruit squash prepared with 250 ml juice + 475 g sugar + 275 ml water + 2.5 g citric acid + 0.75 g sodium benzoate as preservative have been found to be the best treatment for the storage life.