Water content effect on the chromatic attributes of dehydrated strawberries during storage, as evaluated by image analysis.

LINA M. AGUDELO; CAROLINA SCHEBOR; MARÍA DEL PILAR BUERA

LEBENSMITTEL-WISSENSCHAFT UND-TECHNOLOGIE-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2013 vol. 52 p. 157 - 162

0023-6438

The changes of chromatic attributes due to different 13 hydration degree, 14 anthocyanins degradation and browning development were studied in dehydrated 15 strawberries. Strawberry slices were freeze-dried, equilibrated at different relative 16 humidities and stored at 45 ºC. The changes in reflectance were analyzed using a computer 17 vision system, employing segmented image analysis. Darkening promoted by browning 18 reactions could be evaluated through the decrease of L* and the increase of b* in the light 19 sections of the samples. The anthocyanin degradation increased as increasing water content. 20 a* values of the reddish sections of the samples correlated with anthocyanin degradation, 21 only at RH values higher than 43%. Light diffusion in the dried material caused a lighter 22 appearance up to 75% relative humidity, while browning reaction and pigment degradation 23 were accelerated at this relative humidity value. These effects were related with the appearance of mobile water populations in the material, as detected by 124 H-NMR.