Firmness and Cell Wall Characteristics of Pasteurized Jalapeño Pepper Rings Affected by Calcium Chloride and Acetic Acid

Pepper rings packed in brine containing CaCl₂ were firmer, had higher bound calcium, chelator soluble pectin and pectin DE, and less water-soluble pectin (WSP) than peppers packed in brine containing no CaCl₂. Pepper rings packed in low acid brines (1% and 1.2% acetic acid) were firmer and had less WSP than those packed in high acid brine. Those samples (4% acetic acid) resulted in softening and pectin solubilization, but CaCl₂ resulted in less softening. Monosaccharide composition of cell walls was not affected by CaCl₂ or acetic acid. Firmness retention in CaCl₂ treated samples was probably due to greater association between calcium ions and pectic substances, which resisted acid hydrolysis.