*2.4. Colour Measurement*

By the direct reading using a chromo-meter (Minolta model CR-200, Osaka, Japan), dried aril colour was determined to obtain the colour values: *L\** (brightness/darkness), *a*\* (redness/greenness), C\* (colour intensity) and *h*◦ (colour purity). The measurements were recorded at three different times from a transparent petri dish and averaged. The maximum for *L*\* value is 100 (white), and the minimum is zero (black). Positive *a*\* value is red and negative *a*\* is green, while positive *b*\* value is yellow and negative *b*\* is blue. The total colour difference (TCD) was calculated [4,31] as:

$$T\!CD = \left[ (\Delta L^\*)^2 + (\Delta a^\*)^2 + (\Delta b^\*)^2 \right]^{\frac{1}{2}} \tag{1}$$

where Δ*L*\*, Δ*a*\* and Δ*b*\* represents the value before and after drying at each treatment levels and results were expressed as means ± S.E.
