Factors Influencing the Vitamin Content of Canned Foods

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses factors that influence the vitamin content of canned foods. With regard to the significance of the protein, carbohydrate, fat, and mineral content of various canned food products, a classification system was developed, which provides a means of readily determining the proximate and mineral contributions of specific canned foods to the diet. The contributions of canned foods to the tentative human nutritional requirements have been presented in the chapter. The distribution of nutrients between the solid and liquid portion and the effect of preparation for serving has also been discussed. The chapter reports on the effects of various methods of preparation of canned foods for serving, on their ascorbic acid, thiamine, and riboflavin contents. Home preparation methods using consumer size cans and institutional preparation using several No. 10 cans have been studied. It presents studies that were carried out on a laboratory scale on the loss of ascorbic acid in bottling fruits such as: strawberry, raspberry, and apple juices. It presents surveys carried out in fifteen canning plants on the effects of steam blanching, steam blanching followed by passage through a Draper-type water blancher, passage through a rotary-type hot water blancher, immersion in hot water, basket blancher, and blanching in a drum washer-type blancher and the results of this survey have been tabulated. Additional information on the effects of blanching on the thiamine content of vegetables, such as peas, asparagus, and green beans, have been reported, and these data have been summarized. The effect of storage on the vitamin content of canned food has also been discussed.