Carambola value-added products and there sensory evaluation

Averrhoa carambola commonly known as Star Fruit and “Chmarakh” in local language of Himachal Pradesh. It has a lot of medicinal properties but the fruit remains neglected and hence there is a need to concentrate on diversification and popularization of such an un-exploited fruit. Carambola Fruit used as pulp and further formulated into different forms like Carambola RTS, carambola butter, carambola squash, carambola toffee, carambola chutney and carambola bar. Sensory evaluation was conducted on all the products and the results indicate that, carambola toffee were highly acceptable (7.74) among all other carambola products followed by carambola bar then carambola chutney, carambola squash and carambola RTS with good acceptability scores. Value addition of carambola fruits will improve the consumption by different communities, which will increase the demand of unexploited fruit and also reduce the postharvest losses.