Quality attributes of shredded carrot (Daucus carota L. cv. Nantes) as affected by alternative decontamination processes to chlorine
Carla Alegria, Joaquina Pinheiro, Elsa M. Gonçalves, Isabel Fernandes, Margarida Moldão and Marta Abreu
Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, Volume 10, Issue 1, January 2009, Pages 61-69
2009
บทคัดย่อ
The effects of alternative decontamination processes to chlorine: ozonated-water (1 ppm/5 min), hot water (100 °C/45 s) and ultrasonication (45 kHz/1 min), applied pre- or post-cut in the technological diagram of minimal processing of carrots were tested. Ultrasonication in chlorinated-water and thermo-ultrasonication as combined processes applied just in pre-cut carrot were also tested. The initial microbial load reduction, soluble solids content, pH and sensorial attributes of shredded carrot just after processing were evaluated. Decontamination processes applied on pre-cut carrot provided maintenance of fresh-like sensorial quality, regardless the type of treatment, due to diminished leaching phenomena which is critical for shredded carrot. Chlorination, ozonization and ultrasonication achieved ca. 1 Log10 reduction of initial microbial load. No additional decontamination effect in combined processes was observed. The use of heat in pre-cut carrot proved to be the most efficient process regarding microbial reduction (3 Log10 units) providing, as well, an acceptable fresh-like quality product.