Studies on the effect of preservatives on physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory quality of kunda.

Kunda, an indigenous heat desiccated sweet product prepared from milk and added sugar, has a shelf-life of a few days under market conditions. In this study, effect of preservatives viz. potassium sorbate and nisin on the shelf-life of kunda stored at 30° and 5 °C was investigated. During storage, several changes took place in physico-chemical and sensory characteristics, the changes being faster at 30° than at 5 °C. There was little effect of preservatives per se on the quality of kunda, but changes were slower in kunda preserved with nisin. Kunda packaged in LDPE pouches or tin cans and stored at 30° and 5 °C, irrespective of the presence or absence of preservatives, was stable for 42 and 90 days respectively. Increase in osmotic pressure due to high levels of sugar in kunda might be responsible for containing the growth of microbes in the product.