Effect of Washing and Drying Methods in the Quality of Nutmeg

Abstract

To study the effect of washing and dying methods in the quality of nutmeg this experiment was conducted at the Department of Processing Technology and Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur, during 2012-2013. In this study an attempt has been made to develop a suitable washing and drying technique for both mace and nut of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.). In mace and nut, high microbial load (35x106 cfu/g bacteria, 14x103 cfu/g fungi and 6.0x105 cfu/g actinomycetes) was observed in fallen nutmeg without mace, highest recovery percentage (48.50% and 69.56% for mace and nut respectively in harvested nutmeg; and 48.60% and 70.16% for mace and nut respectively in fallen nutmeg) was recorded in sun dried samples, residual moisture content was high in sun dried nutmeg, mace dried in a mechanical drier showed better colour than other methods of drying, drying of mace under close vicinity of 60 watt burning bulbs was observed to be faster compared to other methods of drying, harvested nutmeg mace showed initial faster rate of drying compared to that of fallen nutmeg mace, and least microbial population was noticed in mechanically dried samples (0.3x106 cfu/g bacteria, 0.6x103 cfu/g fungi and zero actinomycetes in harvested nutmeg mace, highest oleoresin, oil content and total sensory score was recorded in mechanical dying