Watermelon Pomace Composition and the Effect of Drying and Storage on Lycopene Content and Color

Abstract

Watermelon pomace has potential use as a food ingredient. Watermelons were juiced, and the remaining pomace was dried using a cabinet dryer and a drum dryer. Fresh pomace was found to have a lycopene content of 0.201mg/g, about 4.5 times higher than what has been reported for fresh watermelon, making it a concentrated source of lycopene. Lycopene loss occurred for all drying methods with drum drying causing a significant loss. In terms of color, drying resulted in an increase in L*and b*and a decrease in a*. Cabinet drying was found to be the better method for preserving the color and lycopene content of watermelon pomace. Lycopene in dried samples was stable after 1 year of storage for vacuum-packed samples. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.