Jelly Processing Plant

Overview
Jelly Processing Plant

Fruit Jelly means the product prepared by boiling fruit juice or fruit (s) of sound quality, with or without water, expressing and straining the juice, adding nutritive sweeteners, and concentrating to such a consistency that gelatinization takes place on cooling. The product shall not be syrupy, sticky or gummy and shall be clear, sparkling and transparent. Total soluble solids should not be less than 65% and the fruit content should not be less than 45% for jelly making process.

An important consideration in the jelly making is pectin, acid content, sugar content, and end point detection. Pectin is present in the form of Calcium Pectate which is responsible for firmness in fruits. Under suitable conditions, pectin forms a gel with sugar and acid. Both immature and over ripe are not suitable for jelly.

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The pH and sugar are important parameters for settling of jelly. The amount of pectin can be determined by alcohol test or jelmeter test which helps to indicates how many parts of sugar are to be added to one part of juice. The final jelly should contain at least 0.5 % acid but not more than 1% because more amount of acid leads to syneresis in jelly. Sugar imparts sweetness as well as body. If the level of sugar is high jelly retains less water which results in stiff jelly because of dehydration.

Prolonged boiling of jelly leads to inversion of sugar and destruction of pectin. The end point of boiling can be judged by sheet or flake test, drop test, or temperature test.