Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources

Vol. 1(1), March 2010, pp. 29-33

Effect of drying on the physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of

Chayote (Sechium edule Sw.)
Kulmeet Kaur, HR Sharma* and Ranjana Verma
Department of Food Science & Nutrition
College of Home Science, CSKHPKV, Palampur-176062, India.

Received 21 July 2008; Accepted 2 January 2009

Chayote (Sechium edule Sw.), a neglected and underutilized fruit grown in lower areas of Himachal Pradesh is rich in
neutral and acid detergent fibres but low in protein, fat and available energy. However, the fruit is known for its
medicinal value. In view of its poor keeping quality and limited shelf life, the preservation by dehydration of chayote
pieces and shreds was attempted at 55, 65 and 75C in a mechanical drier. The results of the study revealed that
dehydration at 55 and 65C yielded better quality products as assessed from the time of drying, colour changes,
reconstitution and sensory acceptability.

Keywords : Sechium edule, Chow-Chow, Chayote shreds, Chayote pieces, Lonku, Dehydration, Organoleptic characteristics

IPC code; Int. cl.8A61K 36/00, A23N 12/00

Introduction Materials and Methods

Chayote or Chow-Chow (Sechium edule Sw.) Dehydration of Chayote
belongs to gourd family Cucurbitaceae which Optimally mature and tender fruits of chayote
includes melons, squash and cucumbers. It is a procured from the local farmers were divided in to
very little known and under utilized fruit consumed two lots. One lot of thoroughly washed fruits was
locally as a vegetable. However, it is gaining cut into small pieces with the help of a stainless steel
popularity as a food crop worldwide due to its
inherent qualities1. In India it has been grown very
successfully in northern and southern areas like
Darjeeling, lower areas of Himachal Pradesh and
in Karnataka and Kerala2. Chayote plant (Plate 1) is a
climbing shrub with large leaves that form
a canopy over the fruit3. In Himachal Pradesh,
chayote is found between the months of September
and November where it is locally known as
Lonku. It is consumed as a vegetable but not
relished much due to its bland taste. This crop has
considerable potential for further exploitation1.
However, it has remained neglected and has
hardly received any attention from post-harvest
technology point of view. To promote its value
addition, the authors attempted its dehydration as
its pieces and shreds and assessed the effects on
their physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics.

*Correspondent author: Plate 1a. Chayote plant bearing fruits; b. Chayote (wholes);
E-mail: hrsharma_neugal@rediffmail.com c. Chayote (halves)
30 INDIAN J NAT PROD RESOUR, MARCH 2010

knife and another lot was shredded with the help of Organoleptic characteristics
stainless steel shredder. Potassium metabisulphite Dehydrated pieces and shreds (25g) from each
@1.5g/kg was added and mixed thoroughly with each drying treatment (55, 65, 75C) were reconstituted in
lot and allowed to rest for half an hour. Treated tap water (150 ml) for 4hours. The reconstituted
samples were dried in the mechanical tray drier samples were cooked into vegetables by using the
maintained at 55, 65 and 75C, respectively till following recipe: Onion (50g), tomato (50g), cumin
no more drying occurred. The dehydrated samples seeds 5g, oil (75ml), salt (5g), turmeric powder (2.5g)
were packed in polyethylene bags and evaluated and garam masala (5g). Onion and cumin seeds were
for their physico-chemical and organoleptic roasted in oil to light brown colour. To this tomato
characteristics. and salt were added and roasted slightly followed
by the addition of other ingredients as well as
Water losses and equilibrium yields the reconstituted pieces and shreds. The resultant
Water losses (%) after interval of two hours at mixture was mixed thoroughly and cooked gently
three different temperatures (55, 65 and 75C) were on a slow flame for 15 minutes. Vegetable
calculated by subtracting the weight of dried samples preparations prepared similarly from equivalent
at each interval from the initial weight of fresh sample weights of fresh pieces and shreds of chayote were
kept for drying. The values are reported as per cent kept as controls. The cooked vegetable preparations
on fresh weight of samples kept for drying. were presented to a panel of 10 judges for the
Equilibrium yields(%) in relation to temperature and assessment of cooking quality by sensory evaluation
time of drying of pieces and shreds were calculated on a nine point hedonic scale5.
by taking the dried weight after every two hours
of drying till the completion of drying process Results and Discussion
and converting the value in to per cent on fresh
weight basis. Evaporative water losses
Data presented in Table 1 is showing the effect of
Rehydration characteristics drying temperature and duration of drying on
Standard method with partial modification was the water loss from chayote pieces and shreds.
used to assess rehydration characteristics of dried Critical appraisal of data shows that water losses
pieces and shreds of chayote4. Weighed samples (10g) due to evaporation at higher temperature and at each
were taken in a beaker and rehydrated in 100 ml of interval of drying are higher for chayote shreds
distilled water at room temperature. The samples compared to chayote pieces. Also, as the temperature
were drained after every hour till no more increase of drying increased the time for drying decreased
in weight occurred. The rehydration characteristics significantly. The chayote pieces dried at 55C took
were calculated for different intervals by dividing more time (16h) for attaining equilibrium in weight
the increase in weight of sample (g) kept for with an evaporative water loss of 91.0 per cent.
rehydration by initial weight of sample. The values Whereas at the same temperature chayote shreds
are reported as Water absorption ml/g. took less time (14h) to attain equilibrium water loss
Table 1Effect of temperature and time of dehydration on the percent water loss of chayote pieces and shreds
Time of drying (hrs) Temperature of drying (C)
55 65 75
Water loss (%) Water loss (%) Water loss (%)
Pieces Shreds Pieces Shreds Pieces Shreds
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 9 16.5 12 23 21 32.5
4 24 33 36 42.5 50 50.5
6 40 56 55 66.5 72 75.7
8 52 68.5 68 82.5 82 91.5
10 72 88.5 78 91.75 92 92.9
12 88 90.75 91 92.5 92.5 -
14 90 91.9 92 - - -
16 91 0 - 0 - 0
 KAUR et al.: EFFECT OF DRYING ON THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL & ORGANOLEPTIC OF CHAYOTE 31

of 91.9 per cent. Chayote pieces attained equilibrium chayote shreds relatively shorter times were required
water loss of 91.2% in 14h at 65C and 91.50 % in to achieve equilibrium product yields of 9.05, 8.25
10h at 75C. Whereas, chayote shreds at 65C and and 8.10%, respectively. The variations in the
75C drying required correspondingly less time i.e. 10 equilibrium yields identical intervals of drying and at
and 8h for attaining equilibrium water loss of 92.50 different temperatures may be attributed to the
and 92.90%, respectively. The enhanced losses in variations in the relative humidity of the circulating
water at higher temperatures are attributable to air at different temperatures. The products during the
enhanced rate of evaporation resulting in courses of drying in general have a tendency to attain
comparatively little lower equilibrium yields of the equilibrium with the surrounding atmosphere.
products at lower temperatures. Whereas, the higher
evaporative losses in case of shreds compared to pieces Physical appearance
are due to large surface area of shredded chayote Physical appearance of fresh and dehydrated
exposed to the drying temperatures in the dehydrator. chayote pieces dried at different temperatures is
shown in Plate 2. From the physical appearance of
Equilibrium yields the dehydrated samples it was observed that at 75C
The yields of dried pieces and shreds obtained chayote pieces and shreds became discolored towards
at different temperatures and the time required brownish tint but the change was little more pronounce
accomplishing the equilibrium yields are presented in in case of pieces. However, the samples dehydrated
Table 2. The equilibrium yields of the products at 55 and 65C were lighter in colour and acceptable
decreased with the increase in temperature and time in their appearance. Darkening of colour at higher
of drying. Chayote pieces required 16h at 55C, 12h temperature is attributable to non-enzymatic browning.
at 65C and 10h at 75C with equilibrium product Although, satisfactory drying in relation to the quality
yields of 11, 8.8 and 8.5%, respectively. In case of of the product could be achieved both at 65 and 55C
Table 2Effect of drying temperature on the equilibrium
but drying at low temperature (55C) may be costly
yield of chayote pieces and shreds due to high-energy costs for running the drier for
Sample Temperature of Time required Equilibrium
longer duration to achieve through drying.
drying (oC) (hrs) Yield (%)
Rehydration characteristics
Chayote 55 16 11
pieces 65 12 8.8 The data pertaining to the rehydration
75 10 8.5 characteristics of pieces and shreds are presented in
Chayote 55 14 9.05 Table 3. The rate of hydration of dehydrated pieces
shreds 65 10 8.25 and shreds increased with the increase in the duration
75 8 8.10 of soaking in plain water. It increased at a faster rate
in shreds as compared to pieces but upon full
saturation the dehydrated pieces came to equilibrium
at higher water absorption (5.24 ml/g) as compared to
dehydrated chayote shreds (3.50ml/g) The higher
water absorption behaviour at slow rate of absorption
of pieces, may be attributed to the intactness of
tissue cells in pieces and higher diffusion distance.
Table 3Effect of drying temperatures on the water absorption
(ml/g) characteristics of dehydrated chayote pieces and shreds
Product Water absorption (ml/g) Time (hrs )
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Chayote Pieces
55oC 1.52 2.44 3.38 4.12 4.58 5.265 5.63 6.07
65oC 1.50 2.35 3.25 4.00 4.38 5.15 5.20 -
75oC 1.20 2.30 2.90 3.20 3.50 4.20 4.20 -
Chayote Shreds
55oC 2.07 2.63 3.34 3.47 3.48 3.50 3.50 ---
Plate 2a-d. Dehydrated chayote pieces; e-h. Dehydrated chayote 65oC 2.00 2.58 3.25 3.40 3.45 3.48 3.49 ---
shreds 75oC 1.89 2.40 2.45 2.50 3.05 3.10 3.10 ---
32 INDIAN J NAT PROD RESOUR, MARCH 2010

Fig. 1Effect of different temperatures on the organoleptic characteristics of chayote pieces

Fig. 2Effect of different temperatures on the organoleptic characteristics of chayote shreds

This in case of shreds follows an opposite trend
due to more disruption of tissues and lower distance
of diffusion. Variable rehydration characteristics
(water absorption) of air dried, solar cabinet dried and
direct sun dried vegetables as 3.3, 2.6 and 2.9ml/g,
respectively was also reported by other worker6.
Organoleptic characteristics
Vegetables prepared from fresh and reconstituted
dehydrated chayote pieces and shreds dried at
different temperatures (55, 65 and 75C) when
subjected to sensory evaluation after cooking by a
panel of 10 judges revealed that the overall
acceptability of fresh chayote pieces was slightly
higher (7.76) as compared to fresh chayote shreds
(7.67) but significantly higher than the dehydrated
chayote pieces and shreds (Fig. 1 and 2). However,
the overall acceptability between chayote pieces and
between shreds dried at 55C and 65C did not differ
much. Chayote pieces and shreds dried at 75C were
rated as lowest (5.99 and 5.77) in terms of overall
acceptability ratings. This may be attributed to the
reason that at this temperature the product became
little brown in colour, with little hard texture and
poor reconstitution.
Conclusion
The findings of this investigation are concluded
with the remarks that the chayote preserved by
dehydration during the peak season can be used a
vegetable in the off season. Explorative studies on
the food applications of dehydrated chayote in
Indian confections, soups and other foods need to
be undertaken to increase the demand and marketing
 KAUR et al.: EFFECT OF DRYING ON THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL & ORGANOLEPTIC OF CHAYOTE
potential of chayote. This will also help the
consumers to harvest and harness the therapeutic
potential of this vegetable through out the year.
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