Production Of Juice From Pineapple And Watermelon

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Fruit is a structural part of plant that contain seeds, normally fleshly, sweet and edible in a raw states, which includes; oranges, grapes, strawberries, juniper berries, pineapple and watermelon e.t.c (Abano, 2010). They are ripe ovaries or carpets that contain seed (McGee, 2004). Fruit contain various phytochemical compounds that are similar in composition to vegetables. All fruits contain a high percentage of water averaging 85% fat, protein and carbohydrate (cellulose and starch) are present in small amount (Agar et al., 2009). Most fruits are eaten as deserts and they can be processed into liquid products which includes fruit juice, wines, and other preserves like marmalade, jams, jellies e.t.c fruit products are marketed canned, bottled or packaged in tetra-packets.

Spoilage of fruits usually occurs during storage, transportation and while writing to be processed. It has been recognized for many years that fruits continuer undergoing biochemical changes even after harvest until spoilage occurs   by microorganisms. This contributes to high post losses (Tovar et al., 2000). The main methods of fruit preservation includes; modified Atmosphere storage (MAS), controlled Atmosphere storage (CAS), use of preservative, use of irradiation use of heat, chilling and processing all of which extend the shelf life of fresh fruit produce (Woody, 1999).

In processing, fruits are converted into more stable products through unit operation, such as cleaning, soaking size reduction, peeling, mixing and heat treatment (Tudela et al., 2002). Fruit juice blends can be produced from various fruits in order to combine all the basic nutrients present in these different fruits for use when combined. This usually gives a juice nutritionally and organoleptically (Muller, 1988).

A fruit juice is defined as the clear or uniformly cloudy liquid recovered from sound fruits by pressing and other mechanical means (Health HB and G Reine ccius flavouring materials of Natural origin) fruit juice is a fruit product, which could be easily consumed by infants, children and adults to meet their nutrients need particularly that of micronutrients (Martinez-Javega et al., 1992). The consumption of fruit juice could have both positive and negative effect on the part of customer. Fruit juices are well recognized for their nutritive value, minerals and vitamin contents. Fruit juices processed under hygienic condition could play important role in enhancing consumers’ health through inhibition of breast cancer, congestive heart failure (CHF), and urinary tract infection (UTI) (Iqbal, 2008; Masniza et al.,, 2010).

The pineapple fruit juice is made up of 100-200 berry-like fruit lets or “eyes” fused together on a central axis or core and is borne on a stem or stalk which is an elongation to the apical merits. The pineapple was originally consumed only as a fresh fruit, with the development of the processing industry, the fruit is now prepared and consumed in various forms such as pineapple etc. also, the was from processing the fruit are now further processed into sugar, wines, vinegar, animal feed etc, (Mohammad, 2008).