Effects of different cooking methods on the chemical and physical properties of carrots and green peas

The study was aimed to evaluate the physicochemical effects of three cooking methods i.e. sous-vide (SV), cook-vide (CV) and traditional cooking (TC) on carrots and green peas. SV and CV were performed at 60–90 °C for various time periods (SV: green peas 50–100 min, carrots 90–150 min; CV: green peas 30–70 min, carrots 20–60 min) with respect to peroxidase test. These vegetables were also cooked at atmospheric pressure for 15, 30, 45 and 60 min and the results were compared with those obtained from SV and CV. Antioxidant activity, total phenolic and vitamin C analyses reflected less harm to the green peas in CV as compared to SV and TC. However, carrots were approximately half degraded during SV than in CV and TC as shown by the antioxidant activity. Moreover, total phenolic content of carrots was highly protected when cooked in SV method. The color change values (∆ E) of green peas were slightly lower in TC when compared to CV and SV, while in carrots, they were very close to each other's in all three methods. CV-cooked green peas and carrots provided the highest general acceptance for the sensorial properties. As a conclusion, TC had more adverse effects on the quality characteristics on green peas and carrots.     

Impact of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and High Pressure on Lipoxygenase and Peroxidase Activity

The effects of supercritical carbon dioxide (ScCO2) treatment and high hydrostatic pressure treatment on the activities of lipoxygenase (LOX) and peroxidase (POD) were studied. Hydrostatic pressure treatment (240 MPa, 55 °C, 15 min) of LOX and POD in 30% sucrose solutions without buffer led to approximately 80% and approximately 50% residual activity, respectively. Application of ScCO2 (35.2 MPa, 40 °C, 15 min for LOX and 62.1 MPa, 55 °C, 15 min for POD) achieved approximately 35% LOX and approximately 65% POD inactivity in 30 % sucrose solutions. Total inactivation of LOX (10.3 MPa, 50 °C and 15 min) and of POD (62.1 MPa, 55 °C and 15 min) could be achieved through ScCO2 treatment of unbuffered solution. Increasing the concentration of sucrose and buffering (pH range 4 to 9) of enzyme solutions resulted in increased resistance of the enzymes to ScCO₂ treatment.     

Study of lipoxygenase and peroxidase as blanching indicator enzymes in peas: change of enzyme activity,ascorbic acid and chlorophylls during frozen storage

In this study, the effects of different blanching conditions on residual lipoxygenase (LOX) and peroxidase (POD) activities and quality changes in peas during frozen storage were studied. Peas were analysed for LOX and POD activities, ascorbic acid and chlorophylls a and b contents at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of frozen storage. No regeneration of LOX and POD activities was determined in frozen-stored peas at −18 °C. The degradations of ascorbic acid and chlorophylls followed first-order kinetics. The half-lives of ascorbic acid, chlorophylls a and b derivatives in unblanched peas were found to be 3.30, 14.01 and 36.76 months during storage, respectively. Blanching at both 70 °C for 4.0 min and 80 °C for 2.0 min increased the half-life of ascorbic acid while it decreased those of chlorophylls a and b. Overall results suggested a blanching time of 2.0 min at 80 °C to inactivate 90% of initial POD activity, so, to retain quality parameters such as ascorbic acid and chlorophyll pigments in a storage period of 12 months at −18 °C.     

High-Pressure-Freezing Effects on Textural Quality of Carrots

Raw or 3 min blanched carrots were pressurized for 45 min at ?18°C ～–20°C and then thawed at 20°C. When carrots were frozen at 100Mpa (ice I), firmness decreased and strain increased. Textural values of carrots pressurized at 200MPa (liquid), 340MPa (ice III), 400MPa (ice V) at ca. –20°C were acceptable. When pressure was increased above 500MPa, the strain increased. Release of pectin and histological damage in carrots pressurized at 200, 340 and 400MPa were less than carrots frozen at 100 and 700MPa (ice VI). After pressurization at 200 and 340MPa at —20°C, carrots were stored in a freezer (–30°C). Firmness decreased and strain increased, but textural values were higher and histological structure were more intact than those frozen at –30°C (0.1MPa) then stored. Thus, high-pressure-freezing at 200, 340 and 400MPa appeared to be effective in improving both the texture and histological structure of frozen carrots.     

Characterization of crude lipoxygenase extract from green pea using a modified spectrophotometric method

In the spectrophotometric assay of lipoxygenase (LOX), the buffered linoleic acid solution used as the reaction medium is not optically clear enough at neutral or lower pH values, due to its limited solubility, to provide a precise, accurate and reproducible estimation of activity as the increase in absorbance at 234 nm. Therefore, an optically clear solution was obtained by formation of the Na-salt of unreacted linoleic acid before absorbance measurement. The modified method was then used to characterize crude LOX from green peas in terms of pH and temperature optima, thermal stability, and kinetic parameters. The optimum pH and temperature for the activity of LOX from green peas were determined to be 6.0 and 30 °C, respectively. LOX was found to be very stable at 60 °C, but much less stable at 65 °C or higher temperatures. The Michaelis constant (K_m) and maximum rate (V_max) for linoleic acid were calculated to be 1666 units per mg protein per min and 2.33 mM, respectively.     

Pressure-Temperature Inactivation of Lipoxygenase in Green Peas ((Pisum sativum): A Kinetic Study

ABSTRACT Kinetics of lipoxygenase (LOX) inactivation in green peas (Pisum sativum) by temperature and/or pressure was studied at different levels of food complexity, namely in green pea juice and in intact vegetables (in situ study). Pea LOX in both matrices was irreversibly inactivated either by thermal or by combined pressure-temperature treatment, and the inactivation followed a first- order reaction. Pressure levels below 200 MPa retarded thermal inactivation of LOX at temperatures above 60 °C. Moreover, above 60 °C, enzyme activation under pressure occurred prior to inactivation. At elevated pressure, LOX inactivation rate could be accelerated by a temperature increase above 10 °C as well as by a temperature decrease below 10 °C. The pressure-temperature dependence of the LOX inactivation rate constants both in green pea juice and in intact green peas was described successfully using the same mathematical model. On the basis of this mathematical model, an iso-rate contour diagram for LOX inactivation in green pea juice and in intact green peas was constructed.     

Glycine Betaine-Mediated Protection of Peas (Pisum sativum L.) During Blanching and Frozen Storage

We used glycine betaine (5–20% w/v) for blanching green peas (100°C, 60 s), and their subsequent freezing and storage (–20°C, 90 days). Blanching after the addition of glycine betaine at ≥10% (w/v) followed by a 90 day storage period which resulted in the most desirable outcome: higher vitamin C levels, a superior green color, enhanced organoleptic quality and texture, and improved retention of peroxidase and lipoxygenase activity relative to control peas (no glycine betaine added). Microscopic characterizations of control and treated peas revealed that glycine betaine acts as a cryoprotectant which maintains cellular integrity. Glycine betaine (10% w/v) could be used commercially for production of frozen peas with better quality attributes.     

Peroxidase and Lipoxygenase Influence on Stability of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.) during Frozen Storage

The effect of blanching treatments and packaging materials on lipoxygenase (LOX) and peroxidase (POD) activity and fatty acid stability of two cultivars of sweet corn (Jubilee and GH-2684) were evaluated during 9 mo storage at ?20°C. Complete inactivation of LOX and POD was obtained with 9 and 15 min of steam blanching, respectively. Relative fatty acid content revealed no change in fatty acid composition during storage. Control of degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) did not depend on oxygen permeability of different packaging materials. Blanching had little effect on PUFA degradation after 9 mo storage.     

Histological Changes in High-Pressure-Frozen Carrots

Histological changes in carrots frozen using a computer-programmed high pressure pilot unit for food processing were examined by light microscope. When raw carrots were frozen at 50 MPa, – 15°C; 100 MPa, –15°C; 150 MPa, –25°C; 200 MPa, –28°C, they were extremely damaged due to volume expansion by the formation of ice I. Conversely, carrots pressurized at 100 MPa, – 10°C (between liquid phase and ice I) and 200 MPa at –20°C (liquid phase) were not damaged because they were frozen rapidly during pressure reduction. They were not damaged even after pressurizing-then-immersing in LN₂. Carrots frozen at 240 MPa, –28°C and at 280 MPa, –25°C, were also not damaged, although ice III formed. The structure of carrots frozen at 400 MPa, –20°C (ice V) was comparatively intact. When carrots were preheated at 60°C for 30 min and frozen at 100 MPa, –15°C or at 400 MPa, –20°C, damage was reduced further.     

Effect of temperature, pressure and calcium soaking pre-treatments and pressure shift freezing on the texture and texture evolution of frozen green bell peppers (Capsicum annuum)

The firmness of green bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) was studied under different processing conditions. Thermal texture degradation kinetics of pepper tissue between 75 and 95 °C could be accurately described by a fractional conversion model. The firmness of pre-processed pepper increased when the samples were submitted to several heat, pressure, and combinations of heat/pressure and calcium soaking pre-treatments. Pre-heating at 55 °C during 60 min and mild heat/high-pressure treatments (200 MPa at 25 °C, 15 min) yielded the best results, which were further improved when combined with calcium soaking. These pre-treatments significantly slowed down thermal texture degradation of pepper at 90 °C, a typical temperature used for pepper blanching prior to freezing. The above-mentioned pre-treated samples showed a significant reduction in firmness when frozen by regular freezing at 0.1 MPa. The same samples showed no changes in firmness when frozen by high-pressure shift freezing at 200 MPa. When freezing was carried out by high-pressure shift and after frozen storage (−18 °C) for 2.5 months, pressure pre-treated pepper showed a better retention of texture than thermal pre-treated pepper.     

Low Temperature Blanching Effects on Chemistry, Firmness and Structure of Canned Green Beans and Carrots

Green beans and carrots were canned using extended blanching at 64–65°C and added calcium and/or acid. Firmer products resulted from all treatments but lowered pH was most effective. Blanched green beans were firmer with lower pectin esterification, indicating pectin methyl esterase activity. Green beans and carrots treated with calcium and/or acid and then cooked were firmer than controls. Acid exhibited a firming effect, perhaps by loosening tissue, while calcium reduced the influence of heat. Instrumental bioyield values correlated with sensory results of canned green beans; bioyield may result from a scleriformic layer. Microscopy showed firmer beans had intact middle lamellae while softer samples contained separated cells. These data suggest that the treatments rendered pectates in the middle lamella less heat labile.     

Thermal Inactivation Kinetics of Peroxidase and Lipoxygenase from Broccoli, Green Asparagus and Carrots

ABSTRACT: Thewermal inactivation curves for peroxidase (POD) and lipoxygenase (LOX) in broccoli (florets), green asparagus (tip and stem), and carrots (cortex and core) extracts were determined in the range of 70 to 95 °C for 0 to 600 s. The capillary tube method was used to obtain quasi-isothermal conditions. The kinetics of both enzymes showed a biphasic first-order model, while at 70 °C, LOX in asparagus showed a monophasic first-order behavior. LOX activity was not detected for carrots. Kinetic parameters, k and Ea , were determined for heat-labile and heatresistant isoenzyme fractions. Additionally, initial and residual activities for both enzymes within tissue sections showed a different distribution and heat stability.     

Combined thermal and high pressure inactivation kinetics of tomato lipoxygenase

The combined isothermal (10–60 °C) and isobaric (0.1–650 MPa) inactivation kinetics of lipoxygenase (LOX) extracted from tomatoes and reconstituted in a tomato purée were studied. Thermal inactivation of LOX at atmospheric pressure proceeded in the temperature range of 45–65 °C. LOX inactivation did not follow first order kinetics; the data could be fitted assuming that the two isoforms of LOX with different thermostability were present. Combined thermal and high pressure inactivation occurs at pressures in the range of 100–650 MPa combined with temperatures from 10–60 °C, and followed first-order kinetics. In the high-temperature/low-pressure range, (T≥50 °C and P≤300 MPa) an antagonistic effect is observed, therefore, the Arrhenius and Eyring equation cannot be used over the entire temperature and pressure range. Small temperature dependence is found in the low-temperature/high pressure range. A third degree polynomial model was successfully applied to describe the temperature–pressure dependence of the inactivation rate constants, which can be useful to predict inactivation rate constants of tomato LOX reconstituted in tomato purée in the temperature–pressure range studied.     

Thermal Inactivation of Asparagus Lipoxygenase and Peroxidase

Thermal stability of lipoxygenase (LOX) and peroxidase (POD) in fresh asparagus tips and partially purified asparagus LOX and POD were compared. In all cases, heating at 50, 60 and 70°C resulted in higher percentages of residual LOX activity than POD activity. Inactivation of LOX followed first order kinetics while inactivation of POD followed a biphasic curve. Activation energies for thermal denaturation of the partially purified enzymes were 47.5 kcal/mol for LOX and 41.9 kcal/mol for POD.     

Incidence of Listeria monocytogenes in Market Samples of Fresh and Frozen Vegetables

Samples of the outer portions of fresh beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, head lettuce, leaf lettuce, mushrooms, and potatoes, as well as frozen green beans, green peas, pea pods, and spinach were examined for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes using a 7-day enrichment procedure at 30°C. Samples were streaked on modified McBrides agar, and isolates were tested for characterization reactions. Fresh carrots, lettuce, and mushrooms, and frozen spinach were also examined using a cold enrichment procedure at 4°C. Samples were taken weekly, streaked onto modified McBrides agar, and were characterized. It was determined that no L. monocytogenes was detectable in any of these samples.     

Effects of freezing on the pigment content in green beans and padrón peppers

 The amounts of chlorophylls a and b, β-carotene and lutein in green beans, blanched green beans and Padrón peppers, all frozen at −22 °C, were monitored over 12 months by reverse-phase, gradient HPLC (C18 column, visible detection). In unblanched beans, these amounts of the pigments decreased considerably during month 1, but were generally stable during the next 11 months (β-carotene content decreased further in month 2 before stabilizing). Similar results were obtained for blanched beans, but decreases were offset by increases due to blanching (carotenoids) and lipoxygenase deactivation (β-carotene), or enhanced by blanching-induced decreases (chlorophylls). In contrast, the amounts of pigments in frozen Padrón peppers fluctuated around more or less constant values over the 12 months. Freezing in bags sealed under vacuum lead to moderate decreases in chlorophyll a in Padrón peppers and in β-carotene in blanched green beans. Received: 22 July 1996 / Revised version: 4 December 1996     

Firming of Canned Vegetables by Addition of Lactose

Blanched carrots, green beans, and peas were retorted at 121°C in 2% NaCl brine containing variable amounts of dissolved lactose. After 37 and 68 days, hardness of the canned vegetables was tested by Instron. Increasing lactose content correlated significantly with average hardness of peas (r = 0.94 and 0.96, respectively), beans (r = 0.81 and 0.91), and to a lesser degree, carrots (r = 0.71 and 0.37). All products from brines containing 8% or more lactose showed higher average hardness than those containing less or no lactose. The increase in hardness was noticeable to an untrained sensory panel. Samples packed in 8–15% lactose brines were ranked significantly higher in firmness than those canned with 5% or less lactose.     

ENZYME ACTIVITY AND QUALITY OF FROZEN GREEN BEANS AS AFFECTED BY BLANCHING AND STORAGE

Effects of different blanching conditions on residual enzyme activities and quality changes in green beans during frozen storage were studied. Green beans were blanched at various temperature and time combinations at both pilot plant and commercial scales. After storage at —23°C for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months they were analyzed for residual activities of catalase, lipoxygenase, polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase; changes in sensory quality as evaluated by a taste panel; and color and firmness as measured with instruments. Most of enzymes were inactivated during normal blanching but the residual activities varied among enzymes. Beans blanched above 82°C for 3.5 min yielded higher sensory scores for the quality attributes tested than those blanched at the lower temperatures. However, there appears to be no direct relationship between the quality attributes measured and the residual enzyme activities during 12 months storage.     

Freezing, thawing and cooking effects on quality profile assessment of green beans (cv. Win)

Results are presented of the effect of freezing followed by thawing (air and water immersion, both at environmental temperature) and cooking (traditional boiling in a covered pot) on quality profile (in terms of objective texture, colour, chlorophylls and pheophytins and sensory attributes) and structure of green beans (cv. Win). Freezing was carried out at three different rates by forced convection with liquid nitrogen vapour. Kramer shear cell (KSC) and Warner–Bratzler (WB) tests were used for objective assessment of the texture. The highest parameter values occurred in beans frozen at the highest rate and air-thawed at the slowest rate. Also, minimum alteration of the rheological behaviour of cooked beans was achieved by freezing at the highest rate. The best parameter for assessing the texture of frozen green beans after thawing and cooking was the Warner–Bratzler slope (S _WB). Coefficients of softening estimated for S _WB in the thawed beans showed that the texture of the beans frozen at −24 °C was almost four and almost five times softer than that of the beans frozen at −70 °C, for air and water thawing respectively. Frozen and thawed green beans were darker than fresh control, whereas freezing prior to cooking produced lighter-coloured beans than direct cooking. The freezing rate affected colour parameters differently depending on the process that followed. When beans were thawed, increasing the freezing rate produced lighter-coloured beans, whereas when beans were cooked, increasing the rate produced darker-coloured beans. No difference was found in sensory assessments between cooked samples frozen at −24 °C, −35 °C and −70 °C, which probably reflects the panellists' mixed preferences for quickly and slowly frozen samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed different degrees of mechanical damage to tissue structure, which accounted for the rheological behaviour of the beans.     

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the microbiological, chemical and sensory quality of fresh gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)

The effect of different temperature/time/pressure high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment on quality and shelf life of sea bream were studied. Different high-pressure treatments (at 3, 7, 15 and 25 °C, 5–10 min and 220, 250 and 330 MPa) were tested to establish the best processing conditions for quality of sea bream. The effect of the process on the quality of the sample was examined by colour, trimethylamine nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid number analysis. Based on the results of the parameter, the best combinations of HHP treatments were determined as 3 °C/5 min/250 MPa–15 °C/5 min/250 MPa for sea bream. The effects of this combination treatment on sensory, chemical and microbiological properties of sea bream stored at 4 °C were studied. The results obtained from this study showed that the shelf life of untreated and HHP treated stored in refrigerator, as determined by overall acceptability of sensory and microbiological data, is 15 days for untreated sea bream and 18 days for treated sea bream at 3 °C/5 min/250 MPa and at 15 °C/5 min/250 MPa treated sea bream.