Abstract:
Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) plays a significant role in Sri Lankan culinary culture; however, its
seasonal availability often leads to overproduction and waste during peak harvest periods. This
study explores the production of black lime, a preserved form of lime as a sustainable alternative
aiming to reduce post-harvest losses while introducing a novel culinary ingredient. Black lime
was prepared by blanching fresh limes in salted water for 4 minutes, followed by immediate
cooling in an ice bath. The limes were then oven-dried at 125 °C for 4 hours and subsequently
sun-dried for 4 days. Three types of food items (lime juice, coconut sambol, and vegetable salad)
were prepared using black lime and fresh lime for comparative analysis. Sensory evaluations
were conducted separately for each food item using 30 semi-trained panelists with 7-point
hedonic scale and data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric method. The results
showed significant differences in sweetness (p = 0.000), aroma (p = 0.000), color (p = 0.000), and
overall liking (p = 0.000). Foods item prepared with black lime, especially coconut sambol and
salad, scored higher in these areas, suggesting that black lime improves both taste and visual
appeal. A separate survey of 80 people showed that 100% use lime in their cooking, but 88.8%
reported difficulty accessing it, and all respondents (100%) said it’s too expensive. Even though
none had used black lime before, every person was willing to try it. All 80 people noticed a clear
difference between fresh and black lime, and everyone supported the idea of bringing black lime
to the market. These findings show strong support for black lime as a tasty, affordable and easy
to-store alternative to fresh lime, with excellent potential for use in Sri Lankan households and
the food industry.
