Organoleptic and Morphological Analysis of Citrus Peel Powder

Abstract

Aim: Processing of citrus fruits results in the production of a >40 million tons of by-products worldwide and a major part of this by product is its peels. These peels have the potential of acting as a good nutraceutical resource owing to its high dietary fibre content and phenolic content. However, these peels are under-utilised despite their claimed health benefits. This study evaluates the morphological structure and sensory attributes of sweet lime peel and orange peel powder. Study Design: The present study was conducted in 3 phases- • Collection of Raw Material • Pretreatment & dehydration • Processing into powder form. Place and Duration of the Study: The present study was conducted in the Department of Food &Nutrition of Babasa.heb Bhimrao Ambedkar University Lucknow. The duration of the study is 6 months i.e. from Jan, 2022- July, 2022. Methodology: Peels of sweet lime and orange were transformed into powder through solar drying followed by grinding. In the present study, we have compared the morphology and organoleptic constituents of orange peel powder (OPP) and sweet lime peel powder (SLPP). The morphology of the two samples was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and element composition was studied and analysed by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX). Organoleptic and sensory attributes were analyzed by a 9 pointer hedonic scale rating. Peel powders were also compared for two functional properties i.e. their Solubility Index and Swelling Power.