High humidity hot air impingement blanching (HHAIB) enhances drying rate and softens texture of apricot via cell wall pectin polysaccharides degradation and ultrastructure modification

Li-Zhen Deng; A S Mujumdar; Xu-Hai Yang; Jun Wang; Qian Zhang; Zhi-An Zheng; Zhen-Jiang Gao; Hong-Wei Xiao

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.04.062

High humidity hot air impingement blanching (HHAIB) enhances drying rate and softens texture of apricot via cell wall pectin polysaccharides degradation and ultrastructure modification

Food Chem. 2018 Sep 30:261:292-300. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.04.062. Epub 2018 Apr 19.

Authors

Li-Zhen Deng¹, A S Mujumdar², Xu-Hai Yang³, Jun Wang¹, Qian Zhang³, Zhi-An Zheng¹, Zhen-Jiang Gao¹, Hong-Wei Xiao⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, P.O. Box 194, 17 Qinghua Donglu, Beijing 100083, China.
² Department of Bioresource Engineering, MacDonald College, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada.
³ College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832001, China.
⁴ College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, P.O. Box 194, 17 Qinghua Donglu, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 29739596
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.04.062

Abstract

The effects of high humidity hot air impingement blanching (HHAIB) over a range of application times (30, 60, 90, and 120 s) on drying characteristics, hardness, cell wall pectin fractions contents and nanostructure, as well ultrastructure of apricot were investigated. Results showed that HHAIB reduced drying time and decreased the hardness of apricot by 20.7%-34.5% and 46.57%-71.89%, respectively. The water-soluble pectin (WSP) contents increased after blanching, while the contents of chelate-soluble pectin (CSP) and sodium-carbonate-soluble pectin (NSP) decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The hardness and drying time were found to correlate inversely with the WSP content, but positively with CSP and NSP contents. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) detection showed the decomposition and degradation of pectin fractions during blanching. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation indicated that the cell wall structure was degraded and middle lamella integrity was destroyed by blanching.

Keywords: Acetone (PubChem CID: 180); Apricot; Atomic force microscopy; Ethanol (PubChem CID: 702); Galacturonic acid (PubChem CID: 439215); Hardness; Nanostructures; Pectin; Potassium acetate (PubChem CID: 517044); Sodium borohydride (PubChem CID: 23673181); Sodium carbonate (PubChem CID: 10340); Sodium tetraborate decahydrate (PubChem CID: 124202488); Sulfuric acid (PubChem CID: 1118); Trans-1,2-Cyclohexylenedinitrotetraacetic acid hydrate (PubChem CID: 2723844); Transmission electron microscopy; m-Hydroxybiphenyl (PubChem CID: 11381).

Publication types

Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

Cell Wall / chemistry*
Desiccation
Food Preservation / instrumentation
Food Preservation / methods*
Fruit / chemistry
Hardness
Hot Temperature
Humidity
Pectins / chemistry*
Prunus armeniaca / chemistry*
Water / analysis

Substances

Water
Pectins