EFFECT OF HONEY AS AN ANTIBROWNING AGENT IN LIGHT RAISIN PROCESSING

Various process methods were evaluated for the production the light To mpson Seedless raisins. Treatments included: control, commercial (sulf ur gas treated), 20% honey solution pressure dip, 10% honey solution p ressure dip, 5000 ppm sulfite solution pressure dip, 5000 ppm sulfite solution nonpressure dip, Erthorbic Acid/Citric Acid/CaCl2 solution pr essure dip, blanch treatment and a Natick solution. Measured variables included Hunter Colorimeter tristimulus characteristics, visual asses sment and rank comparison using Friedman Rank Analysis. The Hunter L, a, b results indicated the honey solution treatments produced lighter and yellower raisins than the commercial and pressure infused sulfite solution treatments. The Erthorbic Acid/Citric Acid/CaCl2 pressure dip treatment resulted in the darkest product. Based on results of the Fr iedman Rank Analysis, raisins produced using honey with no added SO2 w ere ranked highest by each of the 18 untrained panelists.