Researchers develop fruit preservative with attar of crocus as the main ingredient
11/3/2011 10:42:00 AM
A group of researchers from Institute of Bio-technology has recently designed a fruit preservative that has attar of crocus, a bioproduct, as the main ingredient.
"Attar of crocus is known as a substance with many uses, especially (for) its capability of inhibiting and destroying microorganisms, mould, fungi, etc. Therefore, the research group has used the bio-product to preserve ,” said Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Cuc, the research group’s leader.
Beside the main component of attar of crocus, the researchers have added some additives including membrane-creating substances (mainly chitosan), softening additives, additives for maintaining the fruit skin color, and additives that prevent water evaporation during storage. While these additives also have a sterilizing effect, they are fully natural and nontoxic.
The product has been used in pilot studies at the Hanoi Agricultural University, Nha Ho Cotton, Agricultural Development Research Institute (Ninh Thuan Province), and in some peasant households in Huong Khe District (Ha Tinh Province). The fruits sprayed with this product had a loss ratio less than 12% and remained fresh for 30 days, which is 2-3 times longer than thecontrol samples.
The Institute of Biotechnology has produced five hundred liters of the fruit preservative to be used for further research and application models. The researchers aim to increase preservation time and the applicability to encompass a larger variety of fruit before commercializing and introducing it widely to the market to serve the need of consumers.
(Dat Viet)
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