VITAMIN C AND β‐CAROTENE IN FRESH AND FROZEN GREEN BEANS AND BROCCOLI IN A SIMULATED SYSTEM

Abstract

AbstractThe reduced ascorbic acid and β‐carotene contents of “retail market‐fresh” (RMF) and “fresh‐frozen” (FF) green beans and broccoli in a simulated handling system were determined. Changes in ascorbic acid content in the two vegetables during a retail market period and frozen storage followed different patterns. In green beans, ascorbic acid content decreased during refrigerated storage for up to 7 days, but in broccoli there was a significant increase. Blanching resulted in a loss of approximately 40% of the ascorbic acid in broccoli. Ascorbic acid content of FF green beans stored at‐20C for 16 weeks was approximately twice that in RMF green beans, but in FF broccoli stored under the same conditions it was only about half that of RMF broccoli. β‐carotene content of green beans and broccoli did not change during either the retail market simulation of frozen storage and did not differ from that of fresh.