Impact of Hurdle Technology on Preservation of Carrot

Hurdle technology is a combination of different treatments. To develop suitable hurdle treatment for preservation of carrot, first fresh carrot was blanched at 100°C for 60 sec., followed by dipping into 0.25% potassium metabisulphite for 10 minutes. Then blanched carrot were steeped into different concentrations & combinations of preservatives– P0 (Control sample-fresh without treatment), P1 (35°Brix Syrup+8% Salt+500 ppm Potassium metabisulphite), P2 (35°Brix Syrup+10% Salt+400 ppm Potassium metabisulphite), P3 (35°Brix Syrup+12% Salt +300 ppm Potassium metabisulphite), P4 (25°Brix Syrup+8% Salt+500 ppm Potassium metabisulphite+100 ppm Sodium benzoate), P5 (25°Brix Syrup+10% Salt+400 ppm Potassium metabisulphite+200 ppm Sodium benzoate) and P6 (25°Brix Syrup+12%Salt+400 ppm Potassium metabisulphite+300 ppm Sodium benzoate). Steeped carrot were aseptically packed into food grade polyethylene pouches & stored at two different temperatures T1(30-37°C) & T2(5-7°C) for different time intervals i.e. 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days respectively. Thus there are 14 combinations of treatments under study- P0/T1, P0/T2, P1/T1, P1/T2, P2/T1, P2/T2, P3/T1, P3/T2, P4/T1, P4/T2, P5/T1, P5/T2, P6/T1& P6/T2 for 180 days of storage period. Among 14 different treatments, the treatments which remained microbial safe for 180 days of storage period were P6/T1, P6/T2 and P5/T2. Among these three, treatment P6/T2 was scored lowest in physical and highest in sensory & nutritional evaluation. So best hurdle treatment for preservation of carrot till 180 days of storage period was P6/T2.