The potential utilization of gac (Momordica cochinchinensis spreng) fruit mesocarp for processing of high carotene mixed juice

Abstract

In Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng) fruit, its mesocarp or pulp share about 45 - 50% of the total fruit fresh weight. In processing many “gac” products like gac oil, gac powder, gac frozen… this part of fruit is considered as by- product and mostly wasted, while it has higher content of β - carotene (24 mg% DW) than many other fruits as papaya (2.1 mg% DW) or mango (0.445 mg% DW) or even gac seed membrane (15 mg% CK). In order to develop new high carotene mixed juice with reasonable price and to add more value to gac fruit, the study of potential utilization of gac fruit mesocarp for high carotene mixed juice processing was carried out. The results from study showed that gac mesocarp can be used as raw material for mixed juice processing. The juice produced by combination of 13% gac mesocarp with 5% papaya, 2% mango, 5% orange and 8 - 10% passion fruit juice was given highest score (8.15) by sensory evaluation panel. This score is equivalent to “very like” level in Hedonic scale. Drink 1 litter mixed juice per day will satisfy 25 - 30% vitamin A requirement for adult. Product’s cost on raw materials is only 8.966 VN dong, 20% lower than mixed juice made from mango (20% puree) and passion fruits (8 - 10% juice).