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FIRMNESS CHANGES OF IMPREGNATED WHOLE PEELED PRICKLY PEAR
Author(s) -
VALDEZFRAGOSO AURORA,
SOTOCABALLERO MAYRA CRISTINA,
BLANDA GIAMPAOLO,
WELTICHANES JORGE,
MÚJICAPAZ HUGO
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of texture studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.593
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1745-4603
pISSN - 0022-4901
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4603.2009.00198.x
Subject(s) - pear , softening , horticulture , mathematics , vacuum drying , chemistry , materials science , food science , composite material , freeze drying , biology , chromatography
The firmness of green prickly pear fruits ( Opuntia ficus indica ) impregnated with a sucrose isotonic solution (IS) was evaluated. Whole fresh‐peeled prickly pears were processed under different combinations of vacuum pressure ( p v ), vacuum application time ( t v ) and relaxation time ( t r ). Puncture test was applied to impregnated and fresh whole prickly pears. The maximum force ( F max ), average force ( F av ) and the work ( W p ) required to puncture 3 cm in the fruits were measured. Second order models provided good fits to the experimental data of F max ( R 2 = 0.754), F av ( R 2 = 0.788) and W p ( R 2 = 0.792). Impregnation factors p v , t r , t v – t r significantly affected firmness parameters ( P ≤ 0.05). Firmness parameters of fresh‐peeled prickly pear were F max = 10.934 ± 1.571 N, F av = 2.152 ± 0.270 N and W p = 5.930 × 10 − 2 ± 0.0054 Nm. Firmness reduction of impregnated fruits was linked to the IS impregnation levels and deformation‐relaxation phenomena.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The aim of this study was to assess the influence of impregnation conditions on firmness of whole peeled prickly pear, as excessive softening is the main factor limiting consumer acceptability. This study helps to identify the better impregnation conditions for maintaining firmness. This information could be useful for the application of vacuum impregnation in the development of fruits and vegetables products, in which the impregnating solution is used as a carrier of active agents. To date, very limited studies have been conducted in whole fruits involving only peeling and impregnation operations.