EVALUATION OFSELECTED FRUIT PEELS AS NATURAL ANTIOXIDANT SOURCE AND TO VERIFY THE EFFICACY IN INCREASING THE SHELF LIFE OF COMMERCIAL PANEER.

Fruit peels are valuable source of bioactive compounds. This work reports a study on the evaluation of total phenol, flavonoid, anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity of selected fruit peels. The objective of this investigation is to compare the efficiency of the antioxidant activity of selected fruit peels in reducing the peroxide effect of commercial paneer and thereby increasing its shelf life.The extraction was carried out using ethanol as solvent. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in Punica granatum followed by Citrus sinensis and Citrullus lanatus. Theseextracts (1-3%) when added to paneer (in consecutive 0-8 days) showed a considerable reduction in the peroxide value enhancing its shelf life. In the results accomplished, the reduction in peroxide activity was shown was in the following order, Punica granatum >Citrus sinensis > Citrullus lanatus. The statistical analysis showed a strong positive correlation between phenolic and antioxidant activity.