Optimization of process variables for petha manufacture from chayote ( Sechium edule Sw.)

Chayote is an abundant nutritional source of dietary fibers, vital minerals, vitamins and amino acids. The Central Composite Rotatable Design with twenty experiments was used to optimize process parameters for the development of chayote petha. The lime concentration (5%–15%), lime solution treatment time (30-120min) and sugar concentration (50%–100%) were used as independent variables. The process variables (lime concentration and sugar concentration) had significant effect on sensory attributes. However, lime solution treatment time had significant effect on overall model. The optimum results were obtained at lime concentration of 12.97%, lime solution treatment time of 48.24 min and sugar concentration of 60.14%, which provided maximum desirability of 0.973. At optimized process conditions, the sensory score for response variables such as flavour, colour and appearance, body and texture, overall acceptability and hardness were 8.23 ± 0.15, 7.93 ± 0.08, 8.30 ± 0.06, 8.27 ± 0.07 and 96.22 ± 1.443N, respectively. The process variables also had significant effect on physicochemical properties of developed products. Practical applications The investigation on optimization of process parameters will help to produce value added product from low cost vegetable like chayote. The new product process can be scaled up and utilized at small and medium scale through transfer of technologies to small to medium scale industries like farmers produce processing organizations which will help to improve their socioeconomic status through additional income.