The effect of different blanching methods on bell pepper weight loss, color, antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds content and, peroxidase enzyme activity
I. Fathollahy
1
(
Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, Mamaghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mamaghan, Iran
)
Keywords: Blanching, Bell pepper, Microwave, Phenolic compounds, Vitamin C,
Abstract :
Considering the importance of the blanching process in the processing of fruits and vegetables, which in addition to inactivating enzymes is effective in maintaining or reducing the nutritional, bioactive compounds, and changes in texture and color, the effect of the blanching method (hot water, steam and microwave for 60, 90 and 120 s) were evaluated on weight loss, color, antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds content and, inactivation of peroxidase enzyme in sweet bell pepper. The lowest and highest weight loss was related to the microwave method (60 s) (2.36%) and hot water (120 s) (12.10%), respectively. Blanching for 60 s in all three methods could not deactivate the peroxidase enzyme, and the highest and lowest decrease (P<0.05) in peroxidase activity was observed in the microwave (120 s) and hot water (60 s) method, respectively. Hot water, steam, and microwave blanching (60 to 120 s), increased the total phenol content of sweet bell pepper samples in the range of 7.4-65.31, 11.56-44.8, and 11.12-67.16%, respectively. Microwave and steam blanching (60 s) and hot water (120 s) caused the lowest and highest ascorbic acid loss, respectively, and increasing the blanching time increased the ascorbic acid loss. The lowest and highest increase in the antioxidant activity of sweet bell pepper was observed in hot water (60 s) and microwave (90 s) samples, respectively. The blanching method and its application time significantly affected sweet bell pepper color parameters (P<0.05) and increased blanching time increased L*, a*, and b* factors.