The effects of ultra‐high pressure (UHP) on 25 starches were characterized via microscopy and DSC. Furthermore, the swelling behaviour, digestibility, paste viscosity and gel formation was determined. With few exceptions B‐starches were shown to be more pressure resistant than A‐ and C‐type starches. The pressure range in which the gelatinization occurs is typical for the corresponding starch. Only some starches (e.g. waxy corn starch) show the extensive swelling and almost complete desintegration of the granules, which usually is observed after a heat gelatinization. Typical for a UHP‐gelatinization is, that most starches show very little swelling and maintain their granular character. These starches develope very little viscosity at normal paste concentrations and form pastes of smooth texture, resp. rigid gels at concentrations above 15%. Due to the limited swelling without any resp. very little solubilization of the amylose obviously the retrogradation occurs within the granules, which probably is a further reason for the quite different paste and gel properties of UHP‐gelatinized starches in comparison to heat gelatinized ones.

High intensity electrical field pulse (0.22 to 1.60 kV/cm) pretreatment was tested to accelerate the osmotic dehydration of carrot. Applied energy in the range of 0.04 to 2.25 kJ/kg, increased cell disintegration index in the range of 0.09 to 0.84 with < 1 °C rise in the product temperature. The effective diffusion coefficients of water and solute, determined using a Fickian diffusion model, increased exponentially with electric field strength according to D = A exp(-B/E). The rise in effective diffusion coefficient may be attributed to an increase in cell wall permeability, facilitating transport of water and solute. Such increase was evidenced by cell disintegration index and softening of product.

loo+--High-pressure pretreated and frozen green beans, carrot dice or potato cubes were fluidized bed dried and compared to untreated, pressuretreated or water-blanched dried samples. Drying rates varied with pretreatments. Freezing resulted in highest drying rates. Pressure-treated and water-blanched samples retained highly acceptable colors. Freezing or hot-water blanching or high-pressure pretreatment, followed by freezing, gave good rehydration. High-pressure treatment resulted in incomplete rehydration but combined with freezing, water uptake was between 2.1 and 4.8 mug. Retention of cell wall structures of frozen samples during drying was presumed responsible for more efficient mass transfer. Texture measurements revealed significant effects of pretreatments. Pressuretreated samples had texture nearest that of the raw material. No major differences in color were observed.

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