Effect of Storage Conditions on Keeping Qualities of Jaggery

Storage behaviour of jaggery samples, stored in different containers (open pan, polythene bag and jaggery drying cum storage bin) was studied for a period of 6 months. The change in quality characteristics such as moisture content, colour, sucrose and reducing sugar were determined at an interval of 1 month. The study was conducted on commercial jaggery to observe the effect of storage period on quality characteristics of jaggery. The experimental data revealed that the jaggery moisture content was increased from an initial value of 12.07 to 22.36% (db) in open storage, while it was decreased to 9.23%(db) in case of bin and was increased up to 15.84% (db) in case of polythene bags. Similarly the percentage change in sucrose, reducing sugar and colour was lesser in bin and polythene bags than in open storage. The colour of jaggery became darker during storage. The optical density of jaggery was increased from 0.18 to 0.27. The acidity of the jaggery was increased slightly during storage which was within the safe limits. Good keeping quality of jaggery could be maintained in storage bin. Jaggery, stored in bin, showed less reduction in quality parameters.