Effect of Various Drying Methods on Drying Time and Quality of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Arils

The fruit of pomegranate (Punica granatumL.) is consumed fresh or it can be processed into juice, syrup, jam (anar rub), wine or anardana. Commercialization of process technology and pomegranate products in market is very important to improve economy. The seed are dried along with pulp i.e. aril, which constitutes the product “anardana”. The anardana has good keeping qualities along with certain advantages such as flavour and stability at room temperature over a long storage period, protection from enzymatic and oxidative spoilage, light weight for transport beside elimination of costly refrigeration. Dried pomegranate (anardana) finds its utility as a condiment in the acidification of chutneys and adds a peculiar taste to some famous north Indian delicacies. The traditional healers used a number of formulations of anardana as ayurvedic medicines in the treatment of dysentery, diarrhoea, stomachache, inflammations, hymenoletidosis, dyspepsia, bronchitis and cardiac problem. In this review we discussed about various effect of drying methods on quality of pomegranate arils.