COLOR QUALITY OF FROZEN STRAWBERRIES: EFFECT OF ANTHOCYANIN, pH, TOTAL ACIDITY AND ASCORBIC ACID VARIABILITY

SUMMARY— 40 lots of strawberries, consisting of 13 different selections and 5 varieties, were packed as frozen, sliced, sugared (4:1) fruit. Total anthocyanin content, the relative amounts of pelargonidin‐3‐glucoside and cyanidin‐3‐glucoside, ascorbic acid, pH, total acidity, soluble solids and Gardner L, a, b. determinations were made. After 9 months of storage, panel evaluation of the color quality and Gardner L, a and b determinations were taken. Results of correlation analyses indicated that pH was the only objective measurement having a high correlation with color quality. Neither ascorbic acid, total acidity nor soluble solids had significant correlations with color quality. From regression equation values, it was calculated that berries should have a pH of 3.51 or lower to have acceptable color after freezing. Anthocyanin content should be in the approximate range 450–700 μg/g to have acceptable color quality.