SODIUM-CHLORIDE TREATMENT OR WATERJET SLICING EFFECTS ON WHITE TISSUE-DEVELOPMENT OF CARROT STICKS

Treatment of carrots with NaCl solution or slicing with a high pressur e water jet stream was evaluated for reducing the amount of white tiss ue development on carrot stick surfaces. A 0.5 or 1.0M solution treatm ent resulted in less white tissue than treatment with lower concentrat ions of NaCl. However, the NaCl treatment caused a weight loss of 4-10 % (not commercially acceptable). Water jet slicing resulted in striati on of surface tissue and left loose layers of cells, as observed with the scanning electron microscope. These cells dehydrated rapidly and f ormed as much white tissue as on carrots sliced with a culinary knife.