Author
TIAN, HONGPING - UC DAVIS, DAVIS, CA | |
HU, WENCHAO - ZHEJIANG UNIV., CHINA | |
WANG, JIANGPING - ZHEJIANG UNIV., CHINA | |
YING, YIBIN - ZHEJIANG UNIV., CHINA | |
Pan, Zhongli |
Submitted to: Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International (ASABE)
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2006 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The objective of this research was to study the effect of pulsed electric fields (PEF) as a pretreatment on osmotic dehydration characteristics and quality of strawberries. The results showed that PEF pre-treatment significantly enhanced the osmotic dehydration rate. The electric field strength had more influence on the water loss rate, the solid gain rate and vitamin C than the pulse number. This study also revealed that PEF pre-treatment reduced the vitamin C content of strawberries. Technical Abstract: The objective of this research was to study the effect of pulsed electric fields (PEF) as a pre-treatment on osmotic dehydration characteristics and quality of strawberries. The studied PDF treatment conditions included three strengths of electric field (1.0, 2.0, 3.0 Kw/cm) and three numbers of pulse (10, 30, 50, 70). Mass transfer and vitamin C content were investigated during the osmotic dehydration of strawberries in a sucrose solution with a concentration of 50°Brix and a temperature of 50°C. The time of dehydration was 180 minutes and the weight ratio of material to solution was 1:10. The results showed that PEF pre-treatment significantly enhanced the osmotic dehydration rate. The electric field strength had more influence on the water loss rate, the solid gain rate and vitamin C than the pulse number. The most water loss among the treatments was obtained by the PEF conditions of 3.0 Kw/cm electric field strength and 30 pulse number. This study also revealed that PEF pre-treatment reduced the vitamin C content of strawberries. |