Color Changes of Tamarind (Tamarindus indicaL.) Pulp During Fruit Development, Ripening, and Storage

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) is a member of the dicotyledonous family Leguminosae. The fruit pulp has a pleasant acid taste and rich aroma, and thus, it is used as the chief souring agent for curries, sauces, and certain beverages. The unripe fruit pulp is green in color, while the ripe pulp is light brownish red. In storage, the brown pulp turns slowly to deep brown and finally black in color. In the present study, the cause of color changes during developmental stage, as well as during storage of tamarind pulp was investigated. Tamarind pulp in unripe condition (green pod) shows polyphenol oxidase activity up to 105 days of maturity of the fruit or until it ripens. Thereafter due to ripening there is a marked increase of reducing sugars and available lysine leading to Maillard reaction. This inhibits enzymatic browning in the ripe pulp during subsequent storage.