Ascorbic Acid and 5-Methyltetrahyclrofolate Losses in Vegetables with Cook/Chill or Cook/Hot-Hold Foodservice Systems

The percent retention of vitamin C and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate in seven cooked vegetables was analyzed using HPLC and compared in simulated cook/chill vs cook/hot-hold hospital foodservices. Retention of vitamins after conduction and infra-red reheating was investigated. Vegetables reheated after one day of chilled storage had greater losses of both vitamins compared to those held at 72°C for 30 min, but better vitamin retention than vegetables held hot 2 hr. There was no significant difference in nutrient retention due to method of reheating. If warm-holding is restricted to < 90 min, vitamin retention in vegetables is likely to be higher in a cook/hot-hold foodservice than with a cook/chill system.