Partial removal of water before freezing: cultivar and pre-treatments as quality factors of frozen muskmelon (Cucumis melo, cv reticulatus Naud.)

Citation
A. Maestrelli et al., Partial removal of water before freezing: cultivar and pre-treatments as quality factors of frozen muskmelon (Cucumis melo, cv reticulatus Naud.), J FOOD ENG, 49(2-3), 2001, pp. 255-260
Citations number
11
Categorie Soggetti
Food Science/Nutrition
Journal title
JOURNAL OF FOOD ENGINEERING
ISSN journal
02608774 → ACNP
Volume
49
Issue
2-3
Year of publication
2001
Pages
255 - 260
Database
ISI
SICI code
0260-8774(200108)49:2-3<255:PROWBF>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
The influence of both the cultivar and the dehydration method, applied befo re freezing, on quality characteristics of dehydro-frozen muskmelon spheres has been studied. Water was removed from muskmelon cultivar Mirado and Ron y, prior to freezing, by Dewatering-Impregnation-Soaking in concentrated so lution (DIS) for 1 h, air dehydration and combined DIS-air dehydration to a final 50% weight reduction. The results of the analysis of exudate loss, t exture, colour, aroma composition and sensory characteristics ascertained t he crucial importance of the cultivar which had a great influence on the qu ality of the end products. Moisture reduction prior to freezing reduced exu date loss and improved texture at thawing. All the pre-treatments caused th e loss of ethyl esters, namely "positive" aroma compounds, while the alcoho ls, "negative" aroma compounds, increased in air dehydrated fruits and rema ined stable in the DIS-treated ones. This finding could explain the higher sensory acceptability of the DIS-treated fruit when compared with those pre -air dehydrated. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.