Thermal pretreatments of carrot pieces using different heating techniques: Effect on quality related aspects

TY - JOUR

T1 - Thermal pretreatments of carrot pieces using different heating techniques

T2 - Effect on quality related aspects

AU - Lemmens, Lien

AU - Tibäck, Evelina

AU - Svelander, Cecilia

AU - Smout, Chantal

AU - Ahrné, Lília

AU - Langton, Maud

AU - Alminger, Marie

AU - Van Loey, Ann

AU - Hendrickx, Marc

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - During fruit and vegetable processing, different thermal processes (blanching, pasteurization, sterilization) based on different heating techniques can be used. In this context, it is important to evaluate the impact of blanching on quality related parameters. This paper describes a case study on carrot pieces, studying the effect of thermal pretreatments (high temperature blanching, low temperature blanching and low temperature blanching in combination with Ca2+-soaking) on enzyme activity (peroxidase (POD), pectinmethylesterase (PME)), structural properties (degree of methoxylation (DM), texture) and nutritional aspects (β-carotene content). The thermal pretreatments were carried out by conventional heating as well as by microwave heating and ohmic heating, since these new heating methods can become important new technologies in food industry. It has been shown that, depending on the application, selecting the right pretreatment conditions can help to control the enzyme activity. To obtain a firm carrot texture after thermal processing, low temperature blanching seems to be the most appropriate pretreatment condition. This was supported by the micrographs and the analysis of the degree of methoxylation. Furthermore almost no influence of the pretreatments on the β-carotene content of the samples could be noticed. For all quality parameters studied, no unambiguous effect of the heating technique could be detected. Thus, the time/temperature conditions of the thermal pretreatments determine the quality related aspects, independent of the heating technique used. Industrial relevance: With regard to consumer acceptance, a good quality control of fruit and vegetables is important. Food quality covers a wide range of parameters, including enzyme content, structural properties, nutritional properties, sensorial characteristics etc. This study gives an overview of the effect of blanching, which is a common preprocessing step in food processing, on quality related parameters in carrots. The data deliver integrated information on structural level as well as on nutritional level and on enzyme content. Moreover, novel thermal process technologies (microwave heating, ohmic heating), which gain more and more attention in food industry, are being considered as alternatives for conventional blanching.

AB - During fruit and vegetable processing, different thermal processes (blanching, pasteurization, sterilization) based on different heating techniques can be used. In this context, it is important to evaluate the impact of blanching on quality related parameters. This paper describes a case study on carrot pieces, studying the effect of thermal pretreatments (high temperature blanching, low temperature blanching and low temperature blanching in combination with Ca2+-soaking) on enzyme activity (peroxidase (POD), pectinmethylesterase (PME)), structural properties (degree of methoxylation (DM), texture) and nutritional aspects (β-carotene content). The thermal pretreatments were carried out by conventional heating as well as by microwave heating and ohmic heating, since these new heating methods can become important new technologies in food industry. It has been shown that, depending on the application, selecting the right pretreatment conditions can help to control the enzyme activity. To obtain a firm carrot texture after thermal processing, low temperature blanching seems to be the most appropriate pretreatment condition. This was supported by the micrographs and the analysis of the degree of methoxylation. Furthermore almost no influence of the pretreatments on the β-carotene content of the samples could be noticed. For all quality parameters studied, no unambiguous effect of the heating technique could be detected. Thus, the time/temperature conditions of the thermal pretreatments determine the quality related aspects, independent of the heating technique used. Industrial relevance: With regard to consumer acceptance, a good quality control of fruit and vegetables is important. Food quality covers a wide range of parameters, including enzyme content, structural properties, nutritional properties, sensorial characteristics etc. This study gives an overview of the effect of blanching, which is a common preprocessing step in food processing, on quality related parameters in carrots. The data deliver integrated information on structural level as well as on nutritional level and on enzyme content. Moreover, novel thermal process technologies (microwave heating, ohmic heating), which gain more and more attention in food industry, are being considered as alternatives for conventional blanching.

KW - β-carotene

KW - Carrot

KW - Conventional heating

KW - Microwave heating

KW - Ohmic heating

KW - Quality related enzymes

KW - Structure

KW - Thermal pretreatments

U2 - 10.1016/j.ifset.2009.05.004

DO - 10.1016/j.ifset.2009.05.004

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:69249216480

SN - 1466-8564

VL - 10

SP - 522

EP - 529

JO - Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies

JF - Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies

IS - 4

ER -