Why process bael fruits?
⇒ The fruit is rich in protein, carbohydrates and minerals and is a source of carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin C
⇒ Processing reduces post-harvest losses ⇒ Processing increases the shelf-life of the fruit ⇒ Processing adds value and increases income
Bael (Aegle marmelos): Processing and Product Information
Packaging and Storage Pack in well-sealed clean glass or plastic jars and store in a cool, dark place for several months.
Candy/toffee/preserve
Dried fruits
Fruit leather
Beverage/squash
Pickles/chutney
Jam/jelly
Powder Pulp
Potential processed products
Packaging and Storage Pack in clean, well sealed glass or plastic jars. Store in a cool, dark place for several months.
Packaging and Storage Pack in clean, well-sealed glass or plastic bottles and store in a cool, dark place for several months.
How to store bael fruits? ⇒ Fresh fruits: - for 15 days at 30ºC, when har-
vested at full maturity (light green) - for only 1 week at 30ºC, when har- vested ripe - for 3 months at 9ºC
⇒ Pulp: - for up to 6 months, when packed in heat-sealed containers
How to process bael fruits?
1. Pre-processing into pulp
2. Processing methods
Jam
Preserve
Powder
Squash
Spread pulp on trays
Pulp
Dry
Pack + seal
Break fruits
Graded + washed mature green bael
fruits
Prick with a fork
Prepare sugar syrup of 40ºBrix
(40% sugar solution)
Blanch
Pour into jars and seal
Dissolve citric acid (5 g/kg) in water and add
Pulp
Mix
Pour into bottles and seal
Heat pasteurise in bottles at 80-95ºC
Cool in cold water
Break fruits
Graded + washed bael fruits
Scoop out pulp along with seeds
and fibres Add water (1:1)
Mix
Add citric acid (5 g/kg)
Heat for 1 min at 80ºC
Pass through pulper
Place in containers and seal Store
Dissolve sodium metabisulphite (1.5 g/kg) in water and
add (optional)
Add sodium carbonate (2 g/kg)
and mix
Cut into pieces
Dry
Grind into powder
Sieve
Packaging and Storage Pack in heat-sealed 400 gauge polypropylene pouches and store in a dark, cool place for up to one year.
Scoop out pulp along with seeds
and fibres
Cut pulp in 2.5 cm thick slices
Wash in water
Impregnate with sugar by gradually raising the syrup
to 78ºBrix
Soak overnight in cold water
Pulp
Mix 1 kg sugar and 10 g pectin per kg pulp and
add Heat mixture
while stirring until weight of pulp is reduced to half
Continue cooking until total sugar content is 68.5%
Cool at room temperature
Dissolve citric acid
(25 g/kg) in water and add
Dissolve potassium
metabisulphite (2.5 g/kg) in
water and add (optional)
Prepare syrup by mixing 1.4 l water and 1.6 kg sugar per kg of pulp
Filter and add
Pour into jars and seal
Discard seeds
Fruits for the Future
This publication is an output from a research project funded by the United Kingdom Department of International Development for the benefit of developing countries. The views expressed are not necessarily those of DFID [R8399 Forestry Research Programme].
Prepared and published by the International Centre for Underutilised Crops (ICUC), School for Civil Engineering and the Environ-ment, University of Southampton. Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK. Tel: +44-23-80594229 Fax: +44-23-80677519 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.civil.soton.ac.uk/icuc © 2004 International Centre for Underutilised Crops, UK
References: Department of Agriculture, Peradeniya (1997) Tropical fruits of Sri Lanka. Extension and Communication Centre, Department of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Ministry of Agriculture & Lands, Sri Lanka. ITDG (2000) Processing of wild bael fruit for rural employment and income generation. ITDG Food Chain 27: 15-17. Morton, J. (1987) Bael Fruit. In: Fruits of warm climates. Editor: J.F. Morton, Miami, Florida, USA: 187-190.
Rathore, D.S. (2002) Processing and marketing of underutilised fruits in India. In: Fruits for the Future in Asia. Editors: N. Haq and A. Hughes. ICUC, Southampton, UK: 134-152. Roy, S. K. (1998) Bael fruit. In: Tropical and subtropical fruits. Editors: P.E. Shaw, H.T. Chan, Jr. and S. Nagy. AgScience, Inc., Florida, USA: 217-260. Please contact ICUC for further references.
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