Varietal screening of cashew for physical parameters and preparation of ready to serve (RTS) beverage and jam

An experiment was conducted in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications in the Department of Fruit Science and Horticulture Technology, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Fifteen entries were screened for quality analysis. These fifteen cultivars namely K22-1, BPP-6, Bhaskara, Goa-1, Priyanka, Jhargram-1, Vengurla-1, NRCC-2, UN-50, Chintamani-1, BBSR-1, Ullal-3, Ullal-4, Madakkathra-2 and Dhana encountered significant differences in respect of all the characters evaluated. The weight of cashew apple varied from 31.33 (Chintamani-1) to 75.54 g (Priyanka), specific gravity from 0.96 (NRCC-2) to 1.21 (Goa-1), girth of the apple at widest point from 7.39 (Chintamani-1) to 12.64 cm (Goa-1), girth at narrowest point from 4.03 (Chintamani-1) to 10.18 cm (Dhana), the length from 3.79 (Ullal-3) to 6.02 cm (UN-50) and juice from 67.62 (Vengurla-1) to 88.15 per cent (Bhaskara). The value-added products prepared out of the cashew apple like ready to serve (RTS) beverage and jam showed significant differences in consumer preference with respect to organoleptic qualities. Variety Dhana scored highest followed by BBSR-1, NRCC-2 and Priyanka in the form of RTS for flavour (smell and taste) whereas in case of jam the cultivar NRCC-2 scored maximum followed by Ullal-3 and Bhaskara.