DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sajb.2025.v13i12.011

Pages: 1645-1655

Drying is recognized as a crucial and valuable preservation technique today. The current study aimed to compare the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of fresh, oven-dried, and freeze-dried ber (Ziziphus mauritiana) varieties followed by value-added cake development. One batch of fresh fruit was dried in a hot-air oven at 70°C for 8 hours, while another batch was freeze-dried at -50°C for 48 hours. The cv. ‘Dil Bahar,’ which showed the highest Total Phenolic Content (153.65±0.03 mgGAE/100g) and DPPH value (37.14±0.03%) after freeze-drying, was selected for developing a value-added product i.e. freeze-dried berry cake. After initial analysis, freeze-dried ber was subjected to product development as per treatment plan @5%, @10% and @15% followed by shelf-life study (0, 7th, 14th day). The findings revealed that the Total Phenolic Content, DPPH, Hardness value of the freeze-dried berry cake increased (p˂0.05) with higher treatment percentages and decreased with the passage of storage time. Additionally, the color parameters (L*, a*, and b*) exhibited significant (p˂0.01) changes during storage. Sensory evaluation revealed highly significant (p˂0.05) results during storage. Short Abstract: Ber varieties were analyzed using both oven-drying and freeze-drying techniques to create value-added berry cakes. The fresh fruits were evaluated for their DPPH and TPC content. The most suitable drying method, based on TPC and DPPH content, was selected for product development according to a specified treatment plan. The resulting product was then assessed through storage studies, which yielded highly significant results.