A Current Perspective to Jam Production

Abstract

Melaku Tafese Awulachew

The widespread and growing intake of fruit juice/jam products and their rich phytochemical profile suggest their important potential to affect the health of the populations. The aim of this paper is to review the technology and some of key technical factors that affecting jam production. The fresh fruits and vegetables have limited shelf life and it is necessary to process fresh fruits into different value-added products to increase its availability over an extended period and to stabilize the price during the glut season. The processed products have good potential for internal as well as external trade. The raw materials selected for jam manufacture should be fully ripe and free from defects such as mould and bruises. A perfect kind of jam honours and celebrates the goodness of fruits & value adds and minimizes the post-harvest losses. Jam is the product prepared from sound, ripe, fresh, dehydrated, frozen or previously packed fruits including fruit juices, fruit pulp, fruit juice concentrate or dry fruit by boiling its pieces or pulp or puree with nutritive sweeteners namely sugar, dextrose, invert sugar or liquid glucose to a suitable consistency. The amount of other ingredients (sugar, pectin and acid) is usually calculated according to availability of such ingredients in the basic raw material. Due to the differences in chemical composition of fruits and vegetables the amounts of other ingredients are usually calculated according to availability of such ingredients in the basic raw materials, therefore the analysis of the raw materials is pre-requisite for jam making. Generally, processing of fruits and vegetables offers immense scope for wastage minimization and value addition; thus, can generate significant income and employment in countries of agrarian economy and it is the most suitable method of preservation.

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