Location: Healthy Processed Foods Research
Title: Preservation of grape tomato by isochoric freezingAuthor
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Bilbao-Sainz, Cristina |
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Sinrod, Amanda |
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Dao, Lan |
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Takeoka, Gary |
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Williams, Tina |
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Wood, Delilah - De |
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Chiou, Bor-Sen |
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Bridges, David |
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Wu, Vivian |
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LYU, CHENANG - University Of California Berkeley |
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POWELL-PALM, MATTHEW - University Of California Berkeley |
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RUBINSKY, BORIS - University Of California |
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McHugh, Tara |
Submitted to: Food Research International
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 2/14/2021 Publication Date: 3/2/2021 Citation: Bilbao-Sainz, C., Sinrod, A., Dao, L.T., Takeoka, G.R., Williams, T.G., Wood, D.F., Chiou, B., Bridges, D.F., Wu, V.C., Lyu, C., Powell-Palm, M.J., Rubinsky, B., McHugh, T.H. 2021. Preservation of grape tomato by isochoric freezing. Food Research International. 143. Article 110228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2021.110228. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2021.110228 Interpretive Summary: Isochoric freezing is an alternative preservation technique that allows to preserve food at subfreezing temperatures with no internal ice formation. In this study we used isochoric freezing to preserve tomatoes for up to 4 weeks. We found out that tomatoes are not suitable for traditional freezing due to their considerable texture degradation, color alteration, and nutritional loss during the freezing process and subsequent frozen storage. However, Isochoric freezing maintains tomatoes’ physicochemical and nutritional properties as the absence of ice crystal formation and low processing pressures during freezing reduces cell damage in tomato tissues. This study may find application in the commercial preservation of tomatoes and as a potential solution to “food desert” areas where residents have low access to fresh healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables. Technical Abstract: This study investigated the potential of isochoric freezing to preserve tomatoes. Isochoric freezing is an emerging technology that preserves biological matter at subfreezing temperatures without any ice damage. Isochoric freezing was compared with freezing under isobaric conditions and with preservation techniques used in the food industry: cold storage at 10°C and individual quick freezing (IQF). Physicochemical and nutritional properties were evaluated weekly for four weeks. Preservation under isochoric conditions maintained the mass, volume, color, nutrient content (ascorbic acid, lycopene and phenolics) and antioxidant activity of the fresh tomatoes. Also, isochoric preservation led to minimal texture damage. In comparison, mass loss of tomatoes stored at 10°C for 3 weeks contributed to changes in overall visual quality and firmness as well as significant losses in nutrient content. The greatest mass, volume, texture, and nutrients losses were obtained for tomatoes subjected to IQF and isobaric freezing. The results show that isochoric freezing has the potential to preserve tomatoes while maintaining physicochemical and nutritional properties similar to those of fresh tomatoes which might find application in the commercial preservation of tomatoes. |