Effect of chemical treatments on shelf life and quality of Aloe vera L. leaves

Abstract

Aloe vera gel, a commercial product obtained from the leaves of Aloe barbadensis, belongs to the plant family Liliaceae. The mesophyll of the leaves is the major constitute of the gel and this has to be stored at proper conditions to get the commercial value. During storage the syneresis of the gel and activity of the microbial organisms deteriorates the shelf life of the gel and hence an attempt made to increase the storage life of the gel with the use of chemicals under 7 o C. In the study it revealed that treatment of the leaves with 2% Calcium chloride performed best in specific gravity, gel recovery percentage and ascorbic acid content in the gel and the same treatment gave best results in sensory parameters like colour, texture and overall acceptability according to 9 point hedonic scale.