Fermentation of bottle gourd peel (BGP) was carried in 8% salt solution, 10% salt solution and 12% salt solution. During fermentation the acidity increased and pH decreased with the progression of fermentation time resulting in first order kinetics. Lowest rate of acid production was obtained in 12% salt solution (k value 0.0294) whereas highest was obtained in 10% salt plus 1%sugar solution (k value 0.0458). pH decreasing rate was faster in both 8% salt solution and 12% salt solution (for k value -0.015). The result of the proximate analysis of fresh BGP showed that moisture (%), ash (%), crude fiber (%), protein (%), pH, titrable acidity (%), total antioxidant scavenging activity (%), vitamin-C (%) and total phenolic content of bottle gourd peel were 91.38±0.015a, 1.27±0.025a, 1.25±0.015a, 2.8±0.122a, 6.78±0.02a, 0.0384±0.001a, 7.6±0.21a, 48.05 and 4.24 μgGAE/mg respectively. There were significant differences (p0.05) in case of ash and crude fiber. Fermented BGP samples were pickled in 5% acetic acid. During the pickling, acidity increased at first up to 14 days and then decreased slowly. pH decreased first and then increased slowly. Organoleptic taste testing showed that all the developed pickles were accepted by the panellists and all fermented pickles were rated as `like moderately’ whereas pickle of BGP fermented in 12% salt solution was more acceptable. During storage of pickles up to 3 months at room temperature there were no change in colour, flavour and no fungal growth was observed. The texture becomes softer in the third month.
Key words: Bottle gourd peel, Food-waste, Antioxidant, Fermentation, Pickle, Nutritional composition
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