QUALITY OF DRIED APRICOTS - EFFECT OF STORAGE-TEMPERATURE, LIGHT AND SO2 CONTENT

Effects of storage temperature, light and SO2 content on the quality o f dehydrated apricots (moisture content of c 180 g water kg(-1)) were investigated. The samples, with SO2 contents, 300 and 1400 mg kg(-1), were stored for 9 months at 4, 11 degrees C and at room temperature (2 0-25 degrees C). Colour, browning, texture, soluble sugars and protein content were periodically determined. In samples with high SO2 conten t stored at different temperatures and samples with low SO2 which were refrigerated, the quality remained almost constant, meeting market re quirements at the end of 9 months storage. Non-refrigerated samples, w ith a low SO2 content suffered intense browning reactions during stora ge, with losses of 15-26 units for L, a* and b*, as well as losses in soluble sugars (150 g kg(-1)). Protein could not be detected at the e nd of the storage and furfural content was high (18-23 mg kg(-1)). The presence or absence of light did not appear to influence the quality of the product.