Analysis of antioxidant activity and texture profile of tender-young and king coconut (Cocos nucifera) mesocarps under different treatments and the possibility to develop a food product

Abstract

Thepresent study is aimed at analyzing the antioxidant activity using the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)method and the texture using the Brookfield texture analyzer for blanched-solar dried, blanched-cooledwith dehumidification, unblanchedsolar dried, and unblanched-cooled with dehumidificationmesocarps of two varieties of tender coconut, such as King coconut and Young coconut.Under the different treatments, there was a significant difference in the antioxidant activity and texture parameters such as "hardness" and "chewiness" at 5% level of significance. The highest (421.8 ± 12.33 mg/L) and the lowest (856.67±6.72 mg/L) antioxidant activities were recorded for blanched-solar dried mesocarp of King coconut and unblanched-cooled with dehumidification mesocarp of Young coconut, respectively.The texture analysis shows that there is a significant difference in the "hardness" and "chewiness" under different treatments at 5%level of significance.Among the treatedmesocarps highest "hardness" value (6619.7±147.1) and "chewiness" value (1079.3±54.90) were recorded for King coconut blanched-solar dried mesocarp and lowest "hardness" value (595.67±36.88) and "chewiness" value (12.634±0.836) were recorded for Young coconut blanched-cooled with dehumidification mesocarp. Since the blanched-solar dried mesocarp of King Coconut has highest antioxidant activity and lowest "chewiness", it is more suitable to develop a food product.