Flash Vacuum-Expansion Process: Effect on the Sensory, Color and Texture Attributes of Avocado (Persea americana) Puree.

Abstract

The flash vacuum-expansion process (FVE) consists of two stages. In the first, the raw material is heated by a steam flow in a chamber at 101.325kPa; in the second, the plant material passes into an expansion chamber (2 to 5kPa), where the disintegration of the tissues occur. The puree obtained from the avocado pulp subjected to the first stage of the process was evaluated sensorial and instrumentally (T1), in the same way the puree obtained from fruits that were subjected to the whole process (T2) was evaluated, these were compared with avocado puree obtained by means of a food processor (control). The parameters shiny, avocado-like, luminosity, stretching and hue are more significant to describe the puree control, while boiled vegetable and homogeneity to describe T1; grainy texture, adhesiveness and fibrous are more significant to describe T2.