Biochemical changes in new plantain and cooking banana hybrids at various stages of ripening

BACKGROUND: New varieties of plantain and cooking banana with higher yields and improved pest and disease resistance are continuously being bred. There is therefore the need to study their properties during postharvest ripening. This work investigates the effects of ripening on the dry matter content, pH, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, browning potential, starch content and reducing and non‐reducing sugar contents of new FHIA 19 and FHIA 20 plantain and FHIA 03 cooking banana hybrids. RESULTS: The starch and ascorbic acid contents of all hybrids decreased as ripening progressed. The starch and dry matter contents of the FHIA 03 cooking banana were reduced from about 750 to < 100 g kg^?1 and from 260 to 190 g kg^?1 respectively after stage 9 of ripening, when samples had more black than yellow colour. The FHIA 03 cooking banana had the highest content of non‐reducing sugars. The titratable acidity of the FHIA 03 cooking banana was higher than that of the FHIA 19 and FHIA 20 plantains. The browning potential of all hybrids decreased after stage 7 of ripening, when samples were yellow with black spots. The FHIA 19 plantain had the lowest browning potential. CONCLUSION: Significant reductions in the dry matter, ascorbic acid and starch contents of the plantain and cooking banana hybrids were observed during the progress of ripening. The cooking banana variety contained lower levels of dry matter, ascorbic acid and starch than the plantain varieties. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of the frying temperature on acrylamide formation in French fries

It is well established that high oil temperatures during frying strongly increase acrylamide formation in French fries, but it is less clear, which temperature or rather which part of a temperature profile is relevant and if rules or regulatory measures should be established in respect of frying temperature, on which temperature they should refer. In most fryers, the oil temperature strongly drops on adding the potato sticks and may not fully recover up to the end of the frying process (depending on the amount of potato added in relation to the volume of oil and the heating power of the fryer). Since acrylamide is formed towards the end of frying, the temperature during the second half of the process is more important than that regulated by the thermostat. The profile of the frying temperature was optimized regarding product quality (crispness, flavor) and acrylamide formation. An initial temperature of 170–175 °C dropping to 140–145 °C and a virtually isothermal frying at 160 °C resulted in products of similar quality and acrylamide content. At initial temperatures below 160 °C and with main frying temperatures below 140 °C, crispness and the flavor of the French fries suffered: the sticks dried out and became oily. Isothermal frying at 167–170 °C resulted in approximately doubled acrylamide content compared to conditions that were optimal in respect of culinary quality and low acrylamide formation, showing that rules on the initial temperature alone are inadequate to ensure low acrylamide contents. Optimized fryers should program temperature: allowing an initial temperature drop, but then efficiently heating to prevent the temperature dropping below a given limit; after the end of frying, the initial temperature must be restored before frying the next portion.     

Effects of variety and stage of fruit ripeness on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of deep‐fat‐fried banana chips

The quality of banana chips prepared from two different varieties of banana, Pisang Abu and Pisang Nangka, at the ‘green’ and ‘trace of yellow’ stages of ripeness was studied. The fruits were peeled, sliced to a thickness of 2 mm and deep‐fat fried in refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm olein at 180 ± 5 °C for 3 min. The quality parameters determined for fresh bananas were total soluble solids, pH, acidity, carbohydrate, sugar content, fat, protein, moisture content, ash, fibre, colour and fruit firmness. The results showed that Abu had a higher carbohydrate content than Nangka at both stages of ripeness before frying. No sucrose was detected in Nangka. The quality parameters determined after deep‐fat frying were moisture content, water activity, oil absorption, crispness and sensory evaluation. The moisture content and water activity of Abu chips were lower than those of Nangka chips. The texture of chips prepared from Abu at stage ‘green’ showed more crispness than the other three samples. Sensory evaluation showed that chips prepared from Abu at both stages of ripeness presented better colour, flavour, odour, texture and overall acceptability than those prepared from Nangka. Based on the matrix of correlation coefficients, fresh bananas with higher fruit firmness and carbohydrate content gave banana chips with higher crispness and oil absorption. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

香蕉皮化学成分的预试验及抑菌初探

采用水提法和醇提法在常温下浸泡香蕉皮24h,然后采用试管法和圆形滤纸层析法分析鉴定其化学成分。结果表明:香蕉皮中含有酚类、油脂类、有机酸、缩合鞣质、蛋白质和糖类等化学成分。为进一步研究其抑菌的有效成分,用丙酮提取香蕉皮中的鞣质和酚性成分,用乙醚提取香蕉皮中的总有机酸,以几种常见细菌为供试菌做了初步抑菌试验(测抑菌圈直径大小)。结果表明:香蕉皮中的抑菌成分主要是有机酸。     

Reduction of acrylamide formation by vanadium salt in potato French fries and chips

The effects of vanadyl sulphate on the formation of acrylamide have been studied in fried potato products, such as French fries and chips. Acrylamide formation was inhibited by 30.3%, 53.3% and 89.3% when the sliced potato strips were soaked in 0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 M vanadyl sulphate (VOSO₄) solutions, respectively, for 60 min before frying. Moreover, 57.7%, 71.4% and 92.5% inhibition of acrylamide formation was observed when chips were soaked in the respective vanadyl sulphate solution before frying. In a separate model reaction, a solution containing an equimolar concentration of l-asparagine and d-glucose showed a significant inhibition of acrylamide formation when heated at 150 °C for 30 min in the presence of vanadyl sulphate (VOSO₄). The results indicate that the binding of VO²⁺ to asparagine and the decrease in the pH of the potato samples resulted in a significant reduction of acrylamide formation in fried potato products.     

Comparison of the physico‐chemical characteristics of a new triploid banana hybrid,FLHORBAN 920, and the Cavendish variety

BACKGROUND: The physico‐chemical characteristics of a new banana triploid hybrid (FLHORBAN 920 cultivar, AAA group), partially resistant to Yellow Sigatoka and Black Leaf Streak diseases, were measured throughout ripening and compared with those of the Cavendish banana. RESULTS: The greatest differences between FLHORBAN 920 (F920) and the Cavendish variety were observed at intermediate maturity, when bananas were yellow with green tips or yellow. The F920 bananas have more dry matter and starch than those of Cavendish. The total polyphenol contents of F920 bananas were three‐fold higher than Cavendish. The sucrose contents were 1.5‐fold higher in F920 fruits, whereas glucose and fructose contents were two‐fold higher in Cavendish fruits. The F920 fruits had fewer esters, carbonyls and phenolic ethers than Cavendish. The two varieties differed in the composition in methyl‐branched (alcohols and esters) and phenolic ether volatile compounds. CONCLUSION: These characteristics, coupled with resistance to the principal banana diseases, suggest that the F920 variety should be developed further. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Study of colour and acrylamide formation in coffee,wheat flour and potato chips during heating

The effects of heating on colour generation measured as CIE colour space parameters of L* a* b* and acrylamide formation were studied in various food matrices including green coffee, wheat flour and potato chips at different temperatures. Changes in both the acrylamide concentration and the redness parameter a* during heating at relatively higher temperatures followed a typical kinetic pattern in which an initial increase to an apparent maximum followed by a subsequent decrease was observed. The similarities between the changes in acrylamide and redness parameter a* during heating revealed that colour may be a reliable indicator of acrylamide levels in thermally processed foods. The overall results suggest that both acrylamide and redness parameter a* form as intermediate products during Maillard reaction. Since an apparent decrease was observed in its level during prolonged heating at certain temperatures, prediction of acrylamide level in foods during processing should be based on realistic reaction mechanism, instead of simple linear regression model.     

Effects of raw materials,processing conditions and packaging on the quality of plantain chips

The effects of raw material, processing conditions and packaging on the quality of plantain chips were investigated. Two cultivars of plantain Musa spp—Agbagba and Obino lewai—as well as cooking banana were used for the study. The fruits were at stages 1 to 4 of the banana ripening chart. The study started with a consumer survey aimed at product definition. This was followed by series of experiments to determine the effects of raw material, processing conditions and packaging on the quality of plantain chips. A correlation analysis was also carried out on the physical and chemical characteristics of raw plantain. The work revealed that the stage of ripeness of raw material had some effect on the quality of chips as there was gradual increase in pulp/peel ratio and sugar was significantly different (P < 0·05). Moisture content of pulp/texture of pulp, texture of pulp/sugar content of pulp and texture of pulp/ripening stages were negatively correlated, while pulp/peel ratio and moisture content of pulp were positively correlated. Chips packed in 80 μm high-density polyethylene pouches and stored at various relative humidities had extended shelf-life compared with the low-density polyethylene packed chips stored at the same relative humidities. This was due to the inadequacy of the low-density polyethylene in giving the required protection against moisture transmission thereby resulting in soggy chips in shorter periods. The implication of the findings on the formulation of a guideline for the processing of a good-quality plantain chips for the marketing system is discussed.     

油炸食品中丙烯酰胺的生成、毒性及检测方法的研究进展

油炸食品因其独特的风味和诱人色泽,深受消费者喜爱。但高温油炸过程产生的2A级致癌物丙烯酰胺(Acrylamide,AA ),受到人们的广泛关注。油炸食品是一种深受消费者喜爱的食品,在食品产业中具有重要地位,而AA在富含淀粉的油炸食品中含量较高,在生产加工过程中伴随美拉德反应途径或丙烯醛途径生成,不同的食品原料、食品预处理方法、加工工艺条件都会对其生产有影响。由于消费者和食品工业对丙烯酰胺关注度的增加,关于丙烯酰胺检测方法的相关研究引发了广泛的讨论。除了使用常用的方法检测油炸食品中的丙烯酰胺外,近年来还出现了许多新型检测方法。本文从油炸食品中的丙烯酰胺生成途径与机制出发,总结探究其系列毒性,归纳近年来油炸食品中丙烯酰胺检测的传统与新兴方法,以期为油炸食品的生产加工提供科学依据,为控制油炸食品中的丙烯酰胺形成提供一定的理论支撑和参考。     

Effects of type of packaging material on physicochemical and sensory characteristics of deep‐fat‐fried banana chips

A storage study of deep‐fat‐fried banana chips was carried out for 8 weeks at ambient temperature (27 °C), using four types of packaging material: laminated aluminium foil (LAF), oriented polypropylene (OPP), polypropylene (PP) and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE). The physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the stored banana chips were analysed at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8. The quality parameters determined were moisture content, water activity (a_w), thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances (TBARS), texture (breaking force), colour and sensory attributes. The moisture content, a_w, TBARS and breaking force values of all samples increased during storage. The colour also changed during storage, showing higher L and lower a and b values. Samples packed in LAF had the lowest moisture content, a_w, TBARS and breaking force values. The most notable sensory change that occurred during storage was a decrease in crispness. Samples packed in LAF had higher scores than the other three samples, whilst LDPE gave the lowest scores for crispness as well as product colour. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in rancid odour among samples packed in OPP, PP and LDPE. However, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) between samples packed in LAF and the other three samples, with LAF giving the lowest rancid odour. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Impact of chemical pre-treatments on the acrylamide formation and sensorial quality of potato crisps

Several components were added to the blanching water of potato crisps. Calcium ions, sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric, acetic and l-lactic acid significantly reduced the final acrylamide content, as well as free glycine and l-lysine. The acids, NaCl and calcium-containing additives also lowered the oil absorption, which may have led to a reduced heat transfer and acrylamide contamination in the final product. Textural and compositional product changes may thus also influence acrylamide formation. By means of sensory analyses of these crisps, a successful combination was demonstrated between acrylamide mitigating treatments and crisps of acceptable or even superior product quality, compared to control crisps blanched in water. However, the applied components and concentration levels should be well chosen in order not to generate product-foreign flavours or undesired product colour.     

Effect of formulation on the capacity of l-asparaginase to minimize acrylamide formation in short dough biscuits

The influence of the matrix composition and structure on the capacity of asparaginase to reduce acrylamide formation in biscuits was studied. In particular, formulations differing for water (10 to 20% on total weight) and fat (0 to 15% on total weight) content, fat type (margarine, palm oil) and lipid phase distribution were considered. In the latter case, palm oil was substituted with a monoglyceride–palm oil–water gel (hydrogel). The results showed that high water contents, by favoring precursor mobility, promoted acrylamide formation as well as the enzyme capability of reducing the toxic molecule levels in the final product. On the contrary, the presence of fat significantly reduced acrylamide development and enzyme activity as compared with the fat free formulation. It can be hypothesized that the presence of fat would hamper the interaction between the precursors in the aqueous phase, leading to lower amounts of acrylamide. By substituting fat with hydrogel, the biscuit behaved as a fat free system, where acrylamide formation as well as its reduction by means of asparaginase activity was higher than in the fat-containing biscuits. It is likely that the inclusion of palm oil in the dough through the hydrogel modified the system morphology, thus not hampering the encounter among reactants and consequently favoring acrylamide formation.     

Influence of sodium chloride on colour,residual volatiles and acrylamide formation in model systems and breakfast cereals

To elucidate the salt action in breakfast cereals to decrease its amount without a quality loss, a model system was developed. This model, composed of native maize starch, glucose and a mixture of five amino acids (glucose/amino acids molar ratio = 1/1) generated similar colour and volatiles (m/z = 45, 59, 69, 73, 87 and 103 g mol^?1) after heating compared to commercial breakfast cereals. A designed experiment used this model to study the influence of salt concentration (0–5.44%), heating time (0–25 min) and temperature (180–230 °C) on colour, residual volatiles and acrylamide formation. The higher the salt concentration, heating time and temperature, the darker were the products (P < 0.05). The L* values of the model systems containing 5 % salt and heated for 25 min at 230 °C were twelve points lower than the same systems without salt heated in the same conditions. Presence of salt significantly decreased acrylamide formation in the model systems (up to 50 % decrease when 2.5 % salt is added). However, salt did not have a significant impact on volatile levels. These findings were confirmed by observations made on four types of commercial breakfast cereals.     

Influence of green banana pulp on the rheological behaviour and chemical characteristics of emulsions (mayonnaises)

The influence of green banana pulp (GBP) on rheological behaviour and chemical characteristics of emulsions (mayonnaises) was investigated in this work. Five formulations were developed, using an experimental design for constrained surfaces and mixtures, with the following proportions (water/soybean oil/GBP): F1 (0.10/0.20/0.70), F2 (0.20/0.20/0.60), F3 (0.10/0.25/0.65), F4 (0.20/0.25/0.55) and F5 (0.15/0.225/0.625). Rheological properties of the emulsions were obtained with a rotational Haake Rheostress 600 rheometer and a cone and plate geometry sensor (60 mm diameter, 2° cone angle), with a gap distance of 1 mm. The samples presented high values for mineral salts and low calories. The emulsions showed pseudoplastic behaviour at 10 and 25 °C and rheological data were well described by the Herschel-Bulkley model. Formulations with high GBP content (F1 and F3) presented higher yield stress and apparent viscosity values. The results obtained with the response surface methodology, which were adjusted by the quadratic model, showed that GBP had a significant influence on the increase of yield stress and apparent viscosity. The consistency coefficient increased with an increase in soybean oil concentration and water contributed to high values of flow behaviour index in all emulsions samples.     

Evaluation of acrylamide and selected parameters in some Turkish coffee brands from the Turkish market

The purpose of this study was to measure acrylamide (AA) levels and selected parameters of different traditional Turkish coffees. AA, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), total reducing sugar, protein, pH, moisture, dry matter (DM) as well as ash, caffeine and soluble solids content (SSC) in DM, L*, a*, b* colour parameters of coffee samples were determined and the correlation between AA level and these parameters were investigated. A total of 36 coffee samples (20 Turkish, 8 Dibek and 8 Terebinth coffee) from the Turkish market were examined. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was validated for the detection and quantitation of AA in coffee samples. The calibration curve was linear (R² ≥ 0.999) over the range of 30–1000 μg kg^?1. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found as 4.6 μg kg^?1 and 15.5 μg kg^?1, respectively. The amounts of AA in analysed coffee samples were in the range 31.1 ± 0.6 to 323.4 ± 5.4 µg kg^?1. The highest mean AA levels were found in Terebinth coffees (240.3 μg kg^?1) followed by Turkish coffees (204.3 µg kg^?1) and then Dibek coffees (78.6 µg kg^?1). No tested Turkish coffee samples had an AA concentration above the indicative value (450 µg kg^?1) for roast coffee recommended by the European Commission (EC) in 2011. In addition, a strong positive correlation was found between HMF values and AA amounts of selected coffee types.     

Effect of osmotic pretreatment and microwave frying on acrylamide formation in potato strips

BACKGROUND: The presence of acrylamide, a probable carcinogen, is currently a major concern relating to the consumption of fried products. Therefore, recent frying studies have focused on ways of reducing the acrylamide content. The main objective of the present study was to determine the effects of microwave frying and osmotic treatment prior to frying on acrylamide formation in potato strips. RESULTS: Potatoes fried using 400 W microwave power for 1.0 min had an 87.85% lower acrylamide content than potatoes fried conventionally for 4.5 min (i.e. an 81.82% reduction in frying time) but a comparable moisture content. The acrylamide content of fried potatoes treated osmotically prior to both microwave and conventional frying was found to be lower than that of fried potatoes not pretreated osmotically. However, the reduction in acrylamide content was lower when osmotic treatment was applied before microwave frying. CONCLUSION: As a result of this study, it was concluded that microwave frying can be an alternative to conventional frying. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of oil degradation on the amounts of acrylamide generated in a model system and in French fries

Acrylamide formation in foodstuffs is subjected to different influencing factors. This study investigates the specific impact of both oil oxidation and oil hydrolysis on the formation of this probable human carcinogen. This was achieved using two heating methodologies. The first one was based on a closed stainless steel tubular reactor, in which different homogenized potato powder mixtures were heated. Doing so, possible changes in the altered heat transfer properties of the oil upon degradation are excluded since direct contact between the food and the heat medium is eliminated. The results obtained from these experiments were compared with standardized French fry preparation trials. Using both heating methodologies, acrylamide formation was proven to be independent upon oil oxidation and hydrolysis status in the experimental conditions used. More specifically, no evidence from the experimental results could be found that, due to oxidative or hydrolytic oil degradation, heat transfer properties of the oil were changed in such an extent that acrylamide formation during French fry preparation would be significantly influenced. Finally, it could be concluded that the investigated oil degradation products, such as glycerol, mono-, and diacylglycerols, did not significantly influence the acrylamide formation.     

Effects of dough formula and baking conditions on acrylamide and hydroxymethylfurfural formation in cookies

The effects of dough formula and baking conditions on the formations of acrylamide and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) were studied in a cookie model system. Increasing the sugar concentration in the dough formula increased acrylamide formation during baking at 205 °C for 11 min. The effect of sugar on acrylamide formation was more pronounced for glucose than for sucrose, expectedly. Addition of citric acid into dough formula comprising sucrose increased the susceptibility of acrylamide formation, while it decreased acrylamide formation in the dough formula comprising glucose. Decreasing the pH of dough formula increased the tendency to surface browning and the formation of hydroxymethylfurfural in cookies during baking. The results suggest that a cookie with acceptable texture and colour, but having less than 150 ng/g of acrylamide, can be manufactured by lowering the baking temperature and avoiding reducing sugars in the recipe.