COMBINED MICROWAVE AND SPOUTED BED DRYING OF DICED APPLES: EFFECT OF DRYING CONDITIONS ON DRYING KINETICS AND PRODUCT TEMPERATURE

The influence of microwave power (0 to 8.0 W/g, dry basis) and hot air temperature (25°C to 95 °C) on drying rate and product temperature of diced apples (from 31 % to 5% moisture content, dry basis) in a laboratory microwave and spouted-bed combined dryer was investigated. Product temperature initially increased sharply to a plateau about 12 to 15°C above the spouted bed air temperature at a microwave input power 6.4 W/g. This temperature remained almost constant thereafter. Uniform microwave heating was achieved as evidenced by uniform product color and product temperature. Drying rates increased with increasing spouted-bed air temperature or microwave power level, But higher microwave power caused more darkening of the product. Drying of the diced apples in the microwave and spouted bed drying system exhibited two falling rates periods. The influence of air temperature on effective moisture diffusivity followed an Arrhenius type equation. The activation energies were 23.7 kJ/mol and 26.7 kJ/mol for the first and second falling rate periods, respectively.     

Alginate coating as carrier of oligofructose and inulin and to maintain the quality of fresh-cut apples

The aim of this study was to apply an edible coating containing prebiotics such as oligofructose and inulin to fresh-cut apple wedges. An assessment of the quality, sensory, polyphenol, and volatile attributes of coated and uncoated fresh-cut apple wedges was also undertaken. Fructan analysis showed that all prebiotics remained stable over the 14-d storage period and an intake of 100 g of apple supplies 1 to 3 g of prebiotics. Browning index, firmness, acidity remained stable throughout the 14 d compared to the control while applying prebiotic coatings resulted in an increase in soluble solids. Sensory and visual assessment indicated acceptable quality of apple wedges coated with prebiotics. HPLC analysis showed that levels of polyphenolic compounds were more stable in coated apple wedges (without prebiotic inclusions) than in uncoated control apples. No difference was found between O(2) and CO(2) headspace concentration of coated and uncoated samples. Significant differences (P < 0.001) were found for headspace volatile production between the samples. Most coated samples showed lower volatile production in the headspace than uncoated samples.     

Electromyography of Eating Apples: Influences of Cooking, Cutting, and Peeling

ABSTRACT: The mastication of 7 differently prepared apple samples (raw pieces peeled and unpeeled, sliced, grated, cooked pieces with and without peel, and half-cooked pieces, 10 g each) was evaluated using electromyography (EMG). Eleven subjects participated in the EMG recording of both sides of the masseter and temporal muscles while eating samples normally. Only the grated sample reduced the number of chewing strokes and muscle activity before swallowing. In contrast, the thin apple slices produced significantly shorter contraction duration and cycle time only during the 1st 5 chewing strokes. The EMG duration and cycle in subsequent chews, as well as the other parameters, did not significantly differ between slices and pieces. Cooked apples exhibited significantly lower EMG amplitude and muscle activity per chew than their raw counterparts; however, there was no evidence of reduced total muscle activity required for swallowing. Raw and cooked apples with peel yielded significantly greater EMG amplitude and longer duration than those without peel. These findings suggest that appropriate preparation is necessary for people with various mastication abilities: grated for very low ability, cooked for those with weak chewing force, and unpeeled for mastication training.     

Mass Transfer and Textural Changes during Processing of Apples by Combined Methods

Mass transfer and textural changes of ‘Red Delicious’ apple slices and cylinders during osmotic adjustment of a_w by the combined method approach were studied at 30, 40 and 50°C. Mass transfer of water and sugar in the treated apple followed typical log-normal behavior with most changes occurring during early stages of the process. The changes followed Crank's equation for diffusion. A negative correlation between apple texture and sugar diffusion was observed. Softening, as well as mass transfer changes, occurred at early stages of osmotic treatment. The texture changes were most pronounced at the edges of the apple tissue where the sugar had penetrated. Softening and sugar uptake were more pronounced when apples were acidified. Apples became firm within 2 hr of the process, when the external layer of the apple cylinders penetrated by sugar was trimmed. Calcium chloride beyond 0.30% minimized tissue softening, but the typical crispy structure of the fresh apple was not restored.     

Blanch Temperature/Time Effects on Rheological Properties of Applesauce

Peeled and cored ‘Idared’ and ‘Rome’ apples were blanched in water for 20, 40, and 60 min at 35°. 47°. 59°. 71°. and 83°C minor to making into applesauce by a conventional process each month from Nov. through March. USDA Consist meter values decreased as blanch temperature increased from 35° to 59°C and increased again from 71° to 83°C. There was little variation in flow behavior index (“n” values). Yield stress increased as blanch temperature increased from 35° to 59°C and decreased from 71° to 83°C. The consistency index (K) and serum viscosity were almost unchanged by blanching temperature but both decreased with increasing storage time of fresh fruit. Blanching apples at 59° to 71°C before making into applesauce gave substantially thicker sauces than unbalanced apples.     

Integral approach for optimizing modified atmosphere packages for elstar apples: A combination of product and packaging constraints

Modified atmosphere packages with Elstar apples in various packaging systems have been investigated. Loss of firmness during shelf-life is used as the quality aspect to judge the performance of the modified atmosphere packages. A system-oriented model is derived that describes the experimentally found concentrations well. In the overall approach the time dependency of the oxygen and carbon-dioxide concentrations are discussed. It is shown that the quality attribute, the softening of apples, can be affected by the choice of packaging material. Hence this approach can be used to optimize modified atmosphere packaging of Elstar apples.     

Using polysaccharide-based edible coatings to maintain quality of fresh-cut Fuji apples

The effect of alginate and gellan-based edible coatings on the shelf-life of fresh-cut Fuji apples packed in trays with a plastic film of a known permeability to oxygen (110 cm³ O₂ m⁻² bar⁻¹ day⁻¹) was investigated by measuring changes in headspace atmosphere, color, firmness and microbial growth during 23 days of storage at 4 °C. Concentration of O₂ and CO₂ in the package was measured and no significant differences between coated and uncoated fresh-cut apples were observed. Ethylene concentration in coated apples seemed to be delayed since it remained below 50 μl l⁻¹ throughout the whole refrigerated storage period, while production of this gas was detected in uncoated apples from the very initial days of storage. Coated apple wedges exhibited ethanol and acetaldehyde formation from the second week of storage indicating fermentative metabolism. Polymers were crosslinked with a calcium chloride solution, to which the antibrowning agent N-acetylcysteine was added, being incorporated into the coatings formulation and helping to maintain firmness and color of apple wedges during the entire storage time. The application of the edible coatings also retarded the microbiological deterioration of fresh-cut apples. Alginate and gellan edible coatings effectively prolonged the shelf-life of Fuji apple wedges by 2 weeks of storage compared with the control apple slices which showed a considerable cut surface browning and tissue softening from the very early days of storage, limiting their shelf-life to less than 4 days.     

中早熟苹果品种的贮藏品质和酚类物质差异分析

中早熟苹果品种可以丰富水果市场,是苹果产业重要的组成部分,研究其贮藏特性及品质差异意义重大。本实验以‘鲁丽’‘鲁艳’两个苹果新品种为研究对象,以其亲本‘嘎啦’为参照,探究3种苹果的贮藏品质和酚类物质差异。结果表明：相比于‘嘎啦’苹果,‘鲁丽’苹果可溶性固形物质量分数最高,果皮a*值最大,外观品质最佳、适于鲜食,而‘鲁艳’苹果总酸度高、固酸比低,贮藏期间乙烯释放量高,不耐贮藏。与‘嘎啦’和‘鲁艳’苹果相比,‘鲁丽’苹果有着最高的总酚、总黄酮含量和1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼（1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,DPPH）自由基清除率,抗氧化能力最强。3种苹果主要的酚类物质也因品种、成熟度和果实部位存在差异,‘嘎啦’和‘鲁丽’苹果果肉均以绿原酸含量最高,而‘鲁艳’苹果表儿茶素含量最高,果皮酚类物质含量高于果肉。相关性和主成分分析表明果实硬度与a*值有高度显著负相关性（P<0.001）,可溶性固形物质量分数与总酚、总黄酮、绿原酸含量和DPPH自由基清除率存在高度显著正相关（P<0.001）,主成分1主要由总酚、总黄酮、绿原酸、表儿茶素含量等指标决定,成熟...     

寒地特色中小苹果果汁加工酶处理技术研究

以黑龙江省中小型苹果K9、铃铛、黄太平、金红品种为试材,以品种、酶解时间、酶解温度、加酶量作四因素四水平的正交实验,研究适宜加工果汁的苹果品种及酶解工艺。结果表明:品种选择K9,酶解时间4h,酶解温度50℃,加酶量为800U/100g组合的果汁质量指标最佳。此工艺条件下可使出汁率提高41%,可溶性固形物提高9%,总酸提高32%,色值降低82%。其中,影响各项质量指标的主要因素是品种,其次是酶解温度。