The Effect of Enrichment with Sargassum illicifolium, Ulva lactuca and Gracilaria cortica Algae on Physicochemical and Microbial Properties of Processed Fruits (Sour Date Purees and Apple Paste)

Currently, processed fruits and leather are consumed as one of the most popular goodies in the country and the position of this product in the food basket of Iranian families is gradually becoming important. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Sargassumillicifolium, Ulvalactuca, and Gracilariacortica algae at different concentrations (1.5 and 3%) on the physicochemical (moisture, ash, pH, acidity, SO2, amino acid composition, and texture), microbial (total count, coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, acid resistant bacteria, mold and yeast) of processed fruit. The results showed that the moisture content, ash, insoluble ash, pH, acidity, salt, and sulfur anhydride in different samples were the range of the national standard of Iran. The moisture content decreased while as pH increased during the storage period. Seventeen amino acids including essential and non-essential amino acids such as aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, histidine, glycine, threonine, arginine, alanine, proline, tyrosine, valine, methionine, cystine, iso-leucine, leucine, and phenylalanine were identified. The microbial contamination of samples decreased during storage. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus count was not reported in any of the samples. The coliforms, acid-resistant bacteria, mold, and yeast populations of different samples didn’t show significant differences (p˃0.05). Since the addition of algae did not adversely affect the sensory properties of the processed fruits, they can be used in the formulation of functional products.Keywords SargassumIllicifolium . Ulvalactuca . Gracilariacortica .Algae . Processed Fruit