Shenghua Ding

Effect of Osmotic Dehydration with Pulsed Vacuum on Hot-Air Drying Kinetics and Quality Attributes of Cherry Tomatoes

The effects of osmotic dehydration (OD) with or without pulsed vacuum (PV) on hot-air drying kinetics and quality attributes of cherry tomatoes were investigated. Both OD and PVOD pre-treatments were performed for 3 h at 50°C in 50 and 70o Brix sucrose solutions with a solution-to-fruit mass ratio of 4:1, and PVOD was applied for 15 min before OD at atmospheric pressure. Samples were further dried at air temperature of 70°C. Effective moisture diffusivity (D eff) of osmotically dehydrated samples increased gradually while the Deff curve of fresh samples had a plateau stage during hot air drying. Lower glass transition temperature, Tg, values of osmotically dehydrated samples indicated that they needed a lower storage temperature. Both OD and PVOD pre-treatments had advantages in shortening drying cycles and improving quality of products. Compared with air drying, osmo-air drying decreased the total drying time, color change, and hardness of dried samples by 32.26%, 18.11%, and 88.21%, respectively, and increased volume ratio and vitamin C retention rate by 72.31% and 125.82%. As compared with OD, PVOD decreased color change and hardness by 28.48% and 45.17%, increased volume ratio and vitamin C retention rate by 27.41% and 17.77%, but there was no significant difference shown in drying time. Therefore, osmotic pre-treatment can shorten the total dehydration time, and improve the general quality of dried cherry tomatoes.

Effect of dehydration methods on antioxidant activities, phenolic contents, cyclic nucleotides, and volatiles of jujube fruits

Changes in antioxidant activities, phenolic contents, cyclic nucleotides, and volatiles of jujube after dehydration using freeze-drying (FD), air drying (AD), sun drying (SD), and microwave drying (MD) were investigated. All dehydration methods caused a decrease in antioxidant activities, aldehyde, acid, and alkane contents. Esters were increased by the dehydration. FD was superior to other dehydration methods for retention of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activities. MD caused an increase of catechin and epichtechin levels. Although AD, MD, and SD caused declines in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) contents, AD at 50oC was a good choice to obtain jujubes with high levels of cAMP and cGMP. Theoretical fundamentals for selection of suitable drying techniques to minimize the negative effects caused by dehydration and for meeting production requirements are provided.

Stability of Chlorophyll-protein Complex (Photosystem II) in Processed Spinach: Effect of High Hydrostatic Pressure

ABSTRACT The study investigated effects of high hydrostatic pressure (100, 250, 450, and 500 MPa for 5 min) on components and functions of photosystem II in spinach. Results showed that chlorophylls and soluble protein contents of high hydrostatic pressure–treated samples were higher than those of thermal-treated ones. High hydrostatic pressure treatments induced less degradation of protein peptide components than thermal treatment. Otherwise, chlorophylls’ absorption and fluorescence spectra capacities were better retained by high hydrostatic pressure treatments compared with thermal treatment, revealing higher light-harvesting and light-exciting efficiencies. The retentions of photosystem II components and functions posed a positive role for preservation of chlorophylls and chlorophyll–protein complexes.