COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BLACK PEPPER (Piper nigrum) AND CARDAMOM (Amoum sublatum roxb) ESSENTIAL OIL AS NATURAL FOOD PRESERVATIVE FOR PLUM READY TO SERVE (RTS) DRINKS

Abstract

Ready-to-serve (RTS) drinks and fruit juices are crucial due to their high calorie, fiber, and vitamin content. However, their limited shelf life and rapid nutrient loss raise food safety concerns. The aim of this study was to extract essential oil from black pepper and cardamom and to compare the effects of extracted essential oils as a natural food preservative for plum RTS drinks. The essential oil was extracted by hydro-distillation using clevanger type apparatus and stored at 5±1ºC.The plum juice was extracted by screw press juice extractor. Plum RTS was maintained at 0.3% acidity and 15ºBx TSS and was pasteurized for 90ºC for 10 min and stored at refrigeration temperature. The plum RTS was divided into four equal batches of 250 ml with no additives (A), 100µL ethanol (B), 90µL ethanol and 10µL essential oil of black pepper (C) and 90µL ethanol and 10µL essential oil of cardamom (D). The samples were stored at 5±1ºC and analysis were carried out at fixed interval of 7 days for 28 days. At the end of 28 days, pH, % titrable acidity, % ascorbic acid, TSS, % total sugar, % reducing sugar, %RSA total microbial count and yeast-mold count of sample A was 3.09, 0.49%, 2.85%, 17, 14.8%, 5.18%, 8.97%,7732 and 3324 respectively and that of sample B was 3.18, 0.45%, 4.38%, 16.4, 14.2%, 4.44%,10.44%, 6632 and 2106 respectively and sample C was 3.39, 0.38%, 6.1%, 16.1, 13.19%, 4.2%, 13.37%, 1964 and 1664 respectively and sample D was 3.44, 0.36%, 6.6%, 15.8, 13.09%, 3.88%,14.94%, 1284 and 994 respectively. Significant changes were observed during the storage period. The essential oil of cardamom show best preservative effect on overall observation in plum RTS.