The impact of curdlan on the physical, microstructure, and sensory properties of pineapple jam

Pineapples, with a moisture content of 85.4%, are highly perishable, leading to post-harvest losses. Processing them into jam can extend their shelf life. However, alternative gelling agents have been explored due to the high cost of pectin and its low gelling properties in pineapple. This study investigated the effects of curdlan (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) on the physical and sensory properties of pineapple jam without pectin. Incorporating curdlan into pineapple jam shortened the cooking time, with 1.5% curdlan reducing it from 3 to 1 h. Curdlan also decreased syneresis and water activity while increasing the moisture content, pH, and colour attributes (lightness, redness, and yellowness) of the jam. Texture analysis revealed increased hardness and reduced adhesiveness with increasing curdlan concentration. Microstructural observations indicated more heterogeneous structures and greater particle aggregation as curdlan concentration increased. Sensory evaluations showed no significant differences in colour, taste, or overall acceptability, though the formulation containing 0.5% curdlan demonstrated superior spreadability. This early-stage study, conducted at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3, highlights curdlan’s potential as a functional gelling agent for pineapple jam and underscores the need for further research on energy efficiency, scalability, and shelf-life stability to validate its industrial applicability.