Effect of harvest stage and processing treatment on the quality of sun dried ker (Capparis decidua) (Forsk) Edgew) fruit

Ker fruit harvested at three stages (immature, semi-mature and fully-mature) were subjected to different processing treatment viz., blanching and curing. Then the fruit were sun dried and stored for six months to study their quality. Fruit harvested at an immature stage (20 d after fruit set) and blanched for 3 min followed by curing in salt (5%) for the first 6 d and salt 10% + buttermilk 25% for the next 6 d proved significantly superior in terms of better rehydration ratio, ascorbic acid content and organoleptic quality.