Applying dehydro-freezing method to extend shelf-life of Barhi date fruits growing at Qassim Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Barhi date fruits are good source of fiber, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins and have a sweet taste and are popular in marketing. Fresh date fruits, especially Barhi cultivar, are favored and widely consumed at the Khalal maturity stage (first color edible stage). These fruits are seasonal and perishable and there is a need for extending their shelf life. The present study was carried out to improve the quality and the shelf-life of Barhi date fruits during storage time using steamed or/and dehydration, before freezing storage at (-18 ± 2°C) for 0, 3, 6 and 9 months and investigate the effect of these treatments on the physicochemical and sensory properties of the Barhi date fruits. The statistical analysis of results indicated that the treatments and storage periods influenced significantly the total acceptability of Barhi dates while the interaction between them was not significant. However, the highest total acceptability score was recorded for steamed and dehydrated samples followed by dehydrated samples which significantly differed from either steamed or control date samples. These results suggest that steaming and partial drying or only partial drying before frozen storage of Barhi date fruits could be used as an alternative method for improving fruit quality, as well as prolonging the marketable period of date fruits.