Effect of storage on quality of industrially dehydrated onion, garlic, potato and carrot

JULIANA GAMBOA SANTOS ; ANA CRISTINA SORIA; MARTA CORZO-MARTÍNEZ; MAR VILLAMIEL; ANTONIA MONTILLA

JOURNAL OF FOOD AND NUTRITION RESEARCH

VUP FOOD RESEARCH INST

Lugar: Bratislava; Año: 2012 vol. 51 p. 132 - 144

1336-8672

ABSTRACT A comprehensive study on physical and chemical quality parameters (dry matter, water activity, major and minor carbohydrates, 2-furoylmethyl amino acids (2-FM-AA), as indirect indicators of initial steps of Maillard reaction (MR), proteins, total polyphenol content and rehydration ratio) has been carried out on several highly consumed vegetables industrially dehydrated (carrot, onion, garlic and potato). After processing, the main observed change was the formation of 2-FM-AA, mainly in carrot samples, indicating the participation of amino acids as lysine during the MR evolution. With respect to the effect of 12-month storage under conditions usually used by consumers (in the dark, 19-27 ºC, 15-41% relative humidity), with the exception of carrots, no remarkable amounts of 2-FM-AA was generated, in agreement with the slight variation in proteins pattern and carbohydrate composition. Particularly interesting is the case of onion and garlic which preserve during storage their content in prebiotic carbohydrates. Samples were also stable with regard to their polyphenol content and rehydration ability, showing the importance of sample pretreatment, processing and storage conditions for preservation of bioactivity and overall quality of dehydrated vegetables. These results underline the usefulness of the indicators here used and these data could be valuable for technologists, nutritionists and consumers.