Effect of enzyme treatments on physical properties of durian aril and rind slurries

Durian (Durio zibethinus) is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia. The use of amylase, cellulase and pectinase to modify physical properties of durian aril (DA) and durian rind (DR) slurries was studied. Treatments of DR slurries with pectinase, combination of pectinase and cellulase, and combination of pectinase, cellulase and amylase produced slurries with lower pH, higher solubility and lower viscosity than DR slurries incubated without enzyme. The enzyme treatment, however, showed no such effect on the physical properties of DA slurries. Analysis of sugars and galacturonic acid produced in enzyme-treated DR slurries provided some indication of synergistic effects of pectinase and cellulase in disrupting the cell wall of DR. Overall results conclude that pectinase was the most effective in hydrolyzing polysaccharides in DR compared to cellulase and amylase. This preliminary result indicates the possibilities of modifying physical properties of DR slurries by using enzyme treatments.