Standardization of protocol for preparation of juice from bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria Mol. Standl.) fruits.

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria Mol. Standl.) is an important vegetable crop and known as lauki, doodhi and in Marathi language “doodhi Bhopal”. On dry weight basis per 100 g of bottle gourd fruits contain moisture 94.5 g, fat 0.2 g, fiber 0.7 g, carbohydrate 3.75 g, calcium 12 mg, phosphorus 10 mg, potassium 87 mg. To prepare quality juice bottle gourd fruits were washed, cut into small pieces and pieces were blanched at 80˚C in hot water for 3-4 min. After blanching pieces were used to extract the juice then juice was filtered through muslin cloth and centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 10 min. The filtered juice was pasteurized at 85OC for 30 min. The preservative @ 600 ppm sodium benzoate was added during pasteurization. Hot juice filled in sterilized glass and PET bottles and stored at ambient and cold temperature (5 ± 2˚C).