FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF DRAGON FRUIT JELLY

The exotic fruit known as dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.),  Dragon fruit, sometimes referred to as strawberry pear or pitaya, is a type of vine cactus that is a member of the Cactaceae family. The genus Hylocereus has three species of dragon fruit, while the genus Splendiferous contains one species. dragon fruit varieties, such as Hylocereus megalanthus, Hylocereus polarizes, and Hylocereus undatus. More than 93% of the dragon fruit produced worldwide comes from three big nations: China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. With key states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal encouraging commercial production, dragon fruit farming has grown dramatically in India in recent years. Tropical areas with ideal temperatures between 20°C and 30°C and evenly distributed yearly rainfall between 100 and 150 cm are ideal for dragon fruit growth. It favors mildly acidic soil. Standardizing process parameters to create powder-infused fruit jelly sweets was the goal of this investigation. The potential of both red and white dragon fruit varieties for health-conscious dietary applications is highlighted by the results of extensive analyses, which showed that they have low fat contents of 0.32% and 0.25%, respectively, and a high moisture content of about 88.8%. According to the study's thorough proximate analysis, the red dragon fruit variety has 2.03 grams of stool dietary fiber per 100 grams, which is somewhat more than its white counterpart and makes it a great option for diets high in fiber. By varying the proportions of sugar and jiggery, experimental jelly candy recipes were systematically altered in the product development plane. Dragon fruit was combined to create jelly candy.