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Article http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijfsa.2025.09.007

Two Ways Treatment of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Nectar and Stability During Storage

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Khadim Niane^1,*, Papa Guedel Faye¹, Samba Balde¹, Oumar Ibn Khatab Cisse^1,2, Alioune Sow^1,3, Nicolas Cyrille Ayessou¹, Mady Cisse¹

¹Water, Energy, Environment and Industrial Processes Laboratory (LE3PI), Polytechnic School of Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar 10700, Senegal.

²National School of Agriculture (ENSA), Thies 23000, Senegal.

³UFR Agronomic Sciences, Aquaculture and Food Technologies (S2ATA), Gaston Berger University, Saint-Louis 32000, Senegal.

*Corresponding author: Khadim Niane

Published: October 20,2025

Abstract

Very popular with consumers, watermelon is nutritionally rich, particularly in lycopene. With a low pH, its transformation into nectar requires conservation treatment. This study explores the impact of stabilization treatments on nectars to determine the best conditions for pasteurization and preservation. Nectars were prepared from the Sugar Baby variety (Sb). To study stability, three treatments were carried out: two pasteurization schedules (75°C/10 min and 90°C/10 min) and the addition of a preservative (potassium sorbate). Results showed a reduction in reducing sugar content after pasteurization of over 25% (28.80% for SbT₇₅ and 27.40% for SbT₉₀). A drop of 11.40% was also observed for sorbated nectars. Nectars pasteurized at 75°C and stored at 4°C have better stability with a constant pH and reducing sugar, and the lowest lycopene degradation (28.01%) after 24 days. On the other hand, an increase in lycopene content of 19.00% for SbT₇₅ and 51.10% for SbT₉₀ was observed after pasteurization. Nevertheless, sorbated nectars stored at 4°C show a high degradation of lycopene. On the other hand, all nectars stored at 20°C show a drop in pH and sugars in addition to a high degradation of lycopene. Without any consequences on health, a treatment combined with storage at 4°C allows good availability of nectars over time.

Keywords

Citrullus lanatus; Nectars; Stability; Processing; Micronutrient

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How to cite this paper

Two Ways Treatment of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Nectar and Stability During Storage

How to cite this paper: Khadim Niane, Papa Guedel Faye, Samba Balde, Oumar Ibn Khatab Cisse, Alioune Sow, Nicolas Cyrille Ayessou, Mady Cisse. (2025) Two Ways Treatment of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Nectar and Stability During Storage. International Journal of Food Science and Agriculture, 9(3), 199-204.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijfsa.2025.09.007