EXTRACTION, CHARACTERIZATION AND INHIBITION OF POLYPHENOL OXIDASE IN SOLANUM MELONGENA

Enzymatic browning is a process that occurs in fruits and vegetables by the enzyme polyphenol oxidase, which results in brown pigments reduce shelf life which indirectly causes huge domestic loss to the farmers during the post-harvesting process. In this context, the present study was carried out to preserve and increase the shelf life of Brinjal vegetables from enzymatic browning using ascorbic acid. The seeds of Brinjal hybrid and wild were treated with (0.5-2%) concentrations of Ascorbic acid; after 21 days of treatment, the plant material was extracted, Partially purified, and analyzed for enzyme activity. The polyphenol oxidase was extracted and determined for enzyme activity, phenol content, protein concentration as well as functional group determination using FTIR analysis. The polyphenol oxidase activity decreased with an increase in ascorbic acid concentration. The study revealed that the protein content in the Brinjal hybrid variety had a maximum of 221 µg/ml, whereas the wild brinjal variety possesses 180 µg /ml. The phenolic content of the hybrid Brinjal variety was found to be 67 µg/ml, whereas the wild brinjal variety showed 54 µg /ml. The result of this study Suggested that Ascorbic acid can be used as novel alternative inhibitors.