QUALITY OF CABBAGE PART II: PHYSICAL,CHEMICAL, AND BIOCHEMICAL MODIFICATION IN PROCESSING TREATMENTS TO IMPROVE FLAVOR OF BLANCHED CABBAGE (BRASSICA OLERACEA L.)1

The cabbage samples (Brassica oleracea L. var. Late Glory) were subjected to steam blanching and blanching in solution. The blanching procedures were modified and further evaluated for their potential in offsetting the loss of desirable flavor during processing. The compositions of solutions for blanching were defined in terms of the concentrations of CaCl₂, NaHCO₃, flavor enhancers (FLVR), and NaCl. FLVR consisted of monosodium glutamate, 5′-inosinate, and 5′-guanylate in the proportions of 95:2.5:2.5. The optimum FLVR concentrations for solution and steam blanching were 0.25 and 0.3%, respectively. Solution- and steam-blanched products lost 2.6 and 19.4% of their ascorbic acid, respectively, when stored at —19° C in a frozen condition for 1 year. The fresh cabbage contained 4.91 and 6.40 mg % of n-butyl and 3-Indolylmethyl derivatives of isothiocyanates, respectively. Blanching (solution and steam) of cabbage resulted in a reduction of n-butyl and 3-Jndolylmethyl derivatives of isothiocyanate content. This decrease may explain the parallel decrease in “cabbage flavor intensity” in the processed cabbage samples. Although the addition of myrosinase (from fresh cabbage) to freeze-dehydratedcabbage flavor intensity,” acceptability of the product remained lower than for the fresh vegetable.