The Influence of the Vacuum Impregnation, Beetroot Juice, and Various Drying Methods on Selected Properties of Courgette and Broccoli Snacks

Abstract

The drying process is used in the food industry to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables without the use of preservatives. As quality, visual, and aroma characteristics are important determinants of consumer interest, they play a key role in the development of new foods. In the present study, vacuum impregnation (VI) was used prior to vacuum drying (VD) and freeze drying (FD) of courgette and broccoli. Organic beet juice was used to produce the novel snacks. The study showed that the use of vacuum impregnation significantly affected the VOCs profile (volatile organic compounds profile), in which the following compounds were found: viz: 2-(E)-hexen-1-ol, 2-(Z)-hexen-1-ol and aceto-phenone. VI caused a decrease in volumetric gel index (VGI), drying shrinkage (S), water activity (AW), decreased color saturation (∆C), and increased dry matter content (DM). All these properties testify to the positive effect of the pretreatment used. The drying methods used had a significant effect on the properties of the dried vegetables. The dries obtained by the FD method showed higher density and water activity, as well as better preserved color (lower ∆E) and higher VOCs, so it is considered that freeze drying is a suitable method for obtaining novel courgette and broccoli snacks.

Effect of Different Drying Methods on the Quality of Oudemansiella raphanipes

“…The nutrient content and appearance quality of food are easily affected by processing technology, and drying, as an efficient, safe, and inexpensive processing method, has been widely researched and applied [1]. Drying is mainly through dehydration to reduce the water content and microbial growth in fresh fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms to achieve the purpose of prolonging the storage time of food and improving the value of goods [2]. In recent years, China's edible mushrooms' planting scale has continued to expand, and the number of varieties continues to increase.…”