The kiwifruit fruit pods are typically sliced, but due to their small size, high seed count, and uneven ripening, the resulting slices tend to be irregular—often thick at the edges and concave in the middle. Most of these preserved kiwifruit slices contain a ring of black seeds, which significantly reduces their market value. By combining traditional kiwifruit preservation techniques with methods used for date processing, the development of candied wild kiwifruit has effectively addressed these issues, opening up new possibilities for the utilization of wild kiwifruit resources.
First, let’s explore the quality characteristics of this product:
1. **Minimal Nutrient Loss**: During the candying process, the fruit has limited exposure to external liquids, which helps preserve its nutritional content more effectively than other preservation methods.
2. **Excellent Appearance**: The preserved fruit maintains its natural shape and color, with a translucent appearance. Green-fleshed varieties retain a dark green hue, while yellow-fleshed ones take on a golden, visually appealing color.
3. **Superb Flavor**: With a sugar content of around 25%, water content between 20% and 22%, and total acidity below 1%, the fruit offers a balanced sweet and sour taste. It also retains a soft yet firm texture and the distinct flavor of wild kiwifruit.
4. **Long Shelf Life**: When packaged in plastic bags, the fruit can last over a year at room temperature without significant changes in color or flavor. Vacuum packaging and low-temperature storage can further extend its shelf life.
Now, let's look at the processing technology involved:
**Processing Steps:**
Raw material selection → Sorting → Peeling → Slicing → Blanching → Candying → Drying → Packaging
1. **Raw Material Selection and Sorting**: Wild kiwifruit is harvested when its sugar content reaches 7.5%–8%. After collection, the fruits are sorted to remove any damaged, diseased, or rotten ones. They are also grouped by size to ensure uniformity in the final product.
2. **Peeling with Lye**: A 14%–16% sodium hydroxide solution is heated to boiling, and the fruit is immersed for 40–60 seconds. After peeling, the fruit is rinsed and neutralized using a mild acid solution to prevent excessive acidity or alkalinity, which could affect the texture and appearance.
3. **Slicing**: The fruit is cut lengthwise into slits that are 2–3 mm wide and about one-third of the fruit's diameter deep. To prevent browning, the sliced fruit is stored in a salt solution.
4. **Blanching**: The sliced fruit is briefly boiled for 2–3 minutes to deactivate enzymes that cause discoloration, then cooled quickly with tap water.
5. **Sugar Soaking**: After draining, the fruit is soaked in a sugar solution (about 40% of the fruit's weight) for 24 hours. The sugar is distributed evenly in three layers (5:3:2 ratio) to ensure uniform absorption.
6. **Candying**: The fruit is added to a concentrated sugar syrup (50% concentration), and additional sugar is gradually added in two stages, increasing the concentration to 70%–75%. When the fruit becomes translucent, it is ready.
7. **Drying**: The sugared fruit is placed on a bamboo tray and dried at 50°C initially. Once half-dried, the temperature is raised to 55°C–58°C for about 20 hours. The result is a slightly sticky, elastic product.
8. **Packaging**: The dried fruit should be packaged immediately to avoid moisture absorption. Suitable materials include food-grade plastic bags or cellophane, with packaging sizes tailored to market demand.
**Impact of Quality Factors:**
1. **Fruit Ripeness**: The ripeness level directly affects the quality. Underripe fruit may remain astringent, while overripe fruit can become too soft and overly sweet during processing.
2. **Drying Temperature**: The initial drying temperature must be carefully controlled. If too high, the outer layer may harden, leaving the inside moist and affecting both flavor and shelf life.
By following these steps and paying attention to key factors, the production of candied wild kiwifruit not only improves its appearance and taste but also enhances its commercial value and long-term usability. This innovative approach offers a sustainable way to utilize wild kiwifruit, turning a traditionally difficult-to-process fruit into a premium, marketable product.
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