Deep processing of carotene-containing vegetables and obtaining nanofood with the use of equipment of new generation

Abstract

We proposed and designed a new method of deep processing of carotene­containing vegetables – alternative to cryogenic treatment, based on the comprehensive action of steam thermal treatment and finely dispersed grinding on raw materials using a new generation of equipment that is applied in restaurant business, which makes it possible to more fully utilize biological potential (2...3 times higher than in the original raw materials). It was found that during deep (steam convection) processing of carotene­containing vegetables (carrot and pumpkin) with the use of modern steam convection equipment, the fermentative processes proceed with less intensity than during traditional method of thermal treatment – blanching by immersion in boiling water. The quantitative indicator of the maximum fermentative activity during treatment of the carotene­containing vegetables in a combi steamer, compared to blanching, is 2–4,5 times less for polyphenol oxidase, by 3 times for peroxidase. It was demonstrated that the complete inactivation of oxidative enzymes during thermal treatment of carotene­containing vegetables in a combi steamer occurs earlier than during blanching and takes place in 20 minutes, which is 10–15 minutes faster than at blanching. The complete inactivation of oxidative enzymes during blanching of carotene­containing vegetables occurs in 30–35 minutes. It was demonstrated that, compared with fresh raw materials, during thermal treatment of carotene­containing vegetables (carrot, pumpkin) in a combi steamer (under the above­mentioned modes), not only the preservation of b­carotene is achieved in 10 minutes, but also the increase in its mass by 2...2,3 times that occurs due to the release from the hidden state (forms, associated with biopolymers) to free form that is registered by the chemical methods of research. It was found that the loss of vitamin C during thermal treatment of carotene­containing vegetables in a combi steamer is much lower than at blanching. Thus, after 20 minutes of thermal treatment in the combi steamer, the mass fraction of L­ascorbic acid remained by 65…80 %, while after blanching by 40…50 %. It was also demonstrated that after steam thermal treatment and finely dispersed grinding of carotene­containing vegetables when making puree, a significant increase in the extraction of L­ascorbic acid and b­carotene occurs in comparison to the original raw materials, which is 2 and 3 times larger for pumpkin, respectively, and for carrot – 1,7 and 2,5 times, respectively. It was found that the comprehensive application of steam thermal treatment of vegetable raw materials in a combi steamer with finely dispersed grinding makes it possible to obtain puree, the quality of which is close to the quality of the puree, obtained using the cryogenic product treatment (in particular, the content of b­carotene is 2,5…3 times during steam thermal treatment and is 2,8...3,5 times during cryogenic treatment).