Journal
FOOD AND BIOPROCESS TECHNOLOGY
Volume 4, Issue 7, Pages 1197-1204Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s11947-009-0220-0
Keywords
Watercress; Thermosonication; Optimisation; Peroxidase; Colour; Vitamin C; Microstructure
Categories
Funding
- Ministerio da Ciencia e do Ensino Superior [SFRH/BD/9172/2002]
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [SFRH/BD/9172/2002] Funding Source: FCT
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The objectives of the present work were to optimise watercress heat and thermosonication blanching conditions, in order to obtain a product with better quality for further freezing, and to evaluate the effects of thermosonication on the microstructure of watercress leaves. In a chart of optimal time-temperature conditions for a 90% peroxidase inactivation (imposed constraint), vitamin C (objective function) and a-value (improvement toward green) were mathematically predicted for both heat and thermosonication blanching treatments. Two optimal thermosonication combinations were selected: 92 A degrees C and 2 s, retaining 95% of vitamin C content and 5% a-value improvement, and a better condition in terms of practical feasibility, 86 A degrees C and 30 s, allowing a 75% vitamin C retention and 8% a-value improvement. The experimental values, for each thermosonication optimal time-temperature zone, were in good agreement with the models' predicted responses. In terms of microstructure, thermosonicated watercress at 86 and 92 A degrees C showed similar loss of turgor and release of chloroplasts. The proposed optimal thermosonication blanching conditions allow the improvement of the blanched watercress quality and consequently contribute for the development of a high-quality new frozen product. However, a suitable scale-up is mandatory for industrial implementation.
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