EFFECTS OF TYPE OF PACKAGING MATERIALS ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL, MICROBIOLOGICAL AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF DURIAN FRUIT LEATHER DURING STORAGE

A study on storage stability of durian leather was carried out at room temperature using four types of packaging materials-laminated alumini um foil (LAF), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethyl ene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) films-for 12 weeks. Analyses on phys icochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics were conducte d at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8 and 12. Analyses for sugar, fat and caloric cont ents were conducted at the beginning and the end of storage period. Mo isture contents and water activity (A(w)) fluctuated during storage bu t tended to decrease after week 8. Non-enzymatic browning increased si gnificantly (P < 0.05) for all samples in packaging materials used; th e highest increases were observed in LDPE-packed leather. The increase s were related to the changes in colour of samples during storage. The longer storage time, the higher L and b values and the lower a value. The pH, although it fluctuated in the first weeks, slightly increased at the end of the storage period, while the hardness for each sample gradually increased during the storage. Microbial analyses showed that total mesophilic bacteria (TMB) and total moulds and yeast (TMY) coun ts were low, where after 12-week storage TMB and TMY were less than 60 and 140 cfu g(-1), respectively. Organoleptically, for all attributes evaluated, all samples were acceptable by panelists during the 12-wee k storage period. (C) 1998 SCI.