Enhancement of Refrigerated Shelf Life of Foods against Microbial Spoilage Using Indian Spices

AIMS: Evaluation of the effects of treatment of aqueous extracts and powder of spices on enhancement of refrigerated shelf life of vegetables. Study Design: Aqueous extract and powder of turmeric (Curcuma longa), black pepper (Piper nigrum), garlic (Allium sativum)and cumin (Cuminum cyminum)were used to enhance refrigerated shelf life of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), taro roots (Colocasia esculenta), bottle gourd (Lagennaria siceraria)and tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). Place and Duration: The study was made at Shobhit Institute of Engineering & Technology, Meerut during the period of January to December, 2022. Methodology: Microbial counts technique was used to evaluate the impact of spice treatment on boiled foods stored in the refrigerator. Results: We found that aqueous treatment of spices was not as effective as treatment with powdered spices. Black pepper treatment enhanced the storage life of all four vegetables followed by turmeric, garlic and cumin. The mixed treatment with turmeric, black pepper, garlic and cumin was very effective and safe for consumption for up to 3 days when stored in refrigerator. Conclusion: Unconsumed extra foods are commonly stored in refrigerator throughout the world and it is suggested that if the boiled vegetables are treated with a mixture of powder of turmeric + black pepper + garlic + cumin, they may be stored for longer time.