Influence of processing parameters on physicochemical properties of Iranian mulberry (Morusalba L.) molasses

Abstract

The white mulberry is a native fruit to China. The white mulberry as a fruit with high water content and sensitive texture, is a perishable fruit with high-level waste.  To reduce the losses of the white mulberry, it used to be processed traditional dried fruit and mulberry molasses. The purpose of this study was to determine chemical and physical properties of white mulberry molasess made up of different cultivars, neutralizers and concentration methods. Two examples of cultivars were Bokhara and Khardar mulberry (local cultivars), two neutralizing compounds were white soil (traditionally special soil can be used as neutralization) and calcium carbonate, the concentration conditions were concentration under vacuum conditions and concentration under atmospheric pressure to achieve the desired final concentration (70°Brix). The experimental design was factorial in the frame of completely randomized design which was performed in three replications.  The results showed that the neutralization and concentration methods had significant effects on acidity, pH and color (L*, a*, b* indexes). The selected sample for preparing mulberry molasses was the concentration of Bokhara mulberry in vacuum condition with calcium carbonate as neutralizing agent.