Files
Abstract
The study was done to evaluate the quality status of selected commercial brands of juices and jams based on
laboratory analysis and public perception. The entire research work was carried out in two phases to evaluate the
quality of juices and jams, available in local market. In phase I, a comprehensive baseline survey was done to know
the public perception and this revealed that, according to the notion of most respondents, commercial juice and jam
products available in market were adulterated by harmful food colors, low grade fruits and harmful preservatives and
these were harmful for health. Besides, some outcome from this survey, such as, avoiding low quality products and
adopting BSTI standard, enforcing law and imposing punishment and social motivation of food consumers to prevent
adulteration. In phase II, chemical analysis and sensory evaluation of selected samples were done. The collected
samples were four different brands of mango juices, two different brands of mango jam, two different brands of
pineapple jam and apple jam from one brand. Different parameters of collected samples like moisture content, ash
content, total soluble solid content, pH, acidity as citric acid, total plate count, yeast and mold count, preservative
(Sulphur dioxide and Sodium benzoate) content and heavy metal (As, Pb, Cu, Zn and Sn) content were analyzed.
Heavy metal content in every sample was below the detection level. Microbial load was in safe level according to gulf
standard. However, preservative content in few samples was quite higher than acceptable limit. Other parameters of
collected samples were in acceptable limits. Sensory evaluation showed that all commercial jam and juice samples
were more or less equally acceptable and all products obtained satisfactory total score from sensory evaluation.