| Abstrakt: |
Durian (Durio zibethinus Murray) is one of the most valuable tropical fruit crops in Southeast Asia, contributing tremendously to the fruit industry's economic viability. It is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia, and Malaysia is the second-highest producer after Thailand. The durian market has extended from local to international. Singapore is the major importer of fresh durian while China is the largest importer of frozen durian from Malaysia. The high appreciation for durian might be due to its creamy texture, strong aroma, and bittersweet taste. Despite being rich in flavor, durian fruit emits a robust aroma due to the volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Volatile organic esters (VOCe) have been detected very high in "Musang King" durian pulp, especially ethyl 2-methyl butanoate, ethyl propionate, propyl 2-methyl butanoate, and ethyl 4-methyl pentanoate. In this study, the changes of the VOCe of "Musang King", during long-term frozen storage were investigated. Durian pulps were blast frozen for four hours at - 40 °C, vacuum packaged, and stored for one-year storage at - 20 °C. After one year of storage, the VOCe generally showed a downward trend. VOCe contents continuously reduced as storage duration extended, and only ethyl 2-methyl butanoate was detected after one year of frozen storage. The result confirms that frozen storage is a reliable method to maintain the quality of Musang King durian. However, subsequent frozen storage towards one year may cause the flavor quality to deteriorate even though the pulp is still edible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
