Carrot (Daucus carota L.

) peroxidase inactivation, phenolic content and physical changes

kinetics due to blanching
E.M. Gonçalves a,1, J. Pinheiro a,1, M. Abreu a,1, T.R.S. Brandão b,2, C.L.M. Silva b,
*
a Departamento de Tecnologia das Indústrias Alimentares, Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação, Estrada do
Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal b Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rua Dr.
António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Keywords: Carrot Blanching Kinetic models Quality Peroxidase enzyme Total phenols Colour Texture
abstract
The kinetics of peroxidase thermal inactivation, total phenolic content degradation, and colour (CIE L*a*b*) and texture changes
were studied in a temperature range of 70–90 °C for carrots (Daucus carota L.).
Peroxidase inactivation, total phenolic content degradation and the lightness colour (L* parameter) change were successfully
described by a first-order reaction model. The redness and yellowness colour (a* and b* parameters, respectively) and texture
(firmness and energy parameters) changes presented a fractional conversion kinetic model behavior. The temperature effect was
well described by the Arrhe- nius law. All the blanching conditions recommended to reduce peroxidase inactivation to an
acceptable level (90% loss of its original activity) ensured good quality retention. However, to obtain a high quality carrot
product a balance must be made between colour and total phenolic content losses. Therefore, blanching at 80 °C for 6 min is
suggested as a compromise condition to maximize quality. The overall study indicated that colour is a critical parameter to
optimize carrot hot water blanching condition.
Introduction
Carrots (Daucus carota L.) are one of the most preferred vegeta- bles, due to their versatility in culinary uses and its enriched
healthy composition, such as phytonutrients, dietary fibre and minerals. However, carrots are seasonal in nature and highly sus-
ceptible to moisture losses, leading to rigidity and fresh appeal degradation. Consumers of fresh carrots quickly recognize the
con- venience of products like frozen carrots. Vegetables with longer shelf life, with fresh like physical proprieties and nutritional
value, as well as ready-made, are some of the reasons for frozen products popularity. In the present scenario, consumers of frozen
vegetables are willing to pay more, but require value-added products with im- proved quality. Consequently, new quality factors
must be consid- ered in frozen products production, rather than only safety and shelf-stability.
Blanching is a thermal treatment needed to stabilize frozen veg- etables, through the inactivation of given enzymes that can
affect products quality during storage. Enzymes, such as polyphenoloxid- ases, peroxidase, lipoxygenase, and phenolase, can lead
to the ini- tiation of deterioration reactions, i.e. undesirable colour, flavour or
nutritional changes. Peroxidase enzyme (POD) is generally consid- ered as the reference enzyme for blanching treatments, due to
its high thermal resistance and high concentration in most vegetables. However, blanching may cause undesirable changes, on
physico- chemical properties, such as colour, texture and nutrient content, on account of heat-induced but also diffusion or
leaching losses (Song et al., 2003). Therefore, it is desirable to minimize the heat treatment impact, however keeping the
peroxidase enzyme inacti- vation to a suitable residual level (Bahçeci et al., 2005).
Phenolic compounds are commonly found in vegetables. In plants, these compounds have different structures, mainly esters or
glycosylated forms, and may have different functional proper- ties. As polyphenols or phenolic acid, they have powerful antioxi-
dant proprieties, like prevention of oxidative damage caused by free radicals, as well as different health-protective action, such as
antibacterial, anticarcinogenic and vasodilatory (Naczk and Shah- idi, 2003). The presence of phenolic compounds in carrots
contrib- utes to their sensory qualities, like colour (Zhang et al., 2005), bitterness (Kreutzmann et al., 2008), or aroma (Naczk and
Shahidi, 2003). Therefore, the response of phenolic compounds could be used as a good indicator to evaluate the vegetables
quality during processing and storage. Major phenols in carrots include chloro- genic, caffeic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids along
with numerous cinnamic acid derivatives. The different carrot tissues have similar composition, but the individual phenolic
content differs and it
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +351 22 55 80058; fax: +351 22 50 90351.
decreases from the exterior (peel) to the interior (xylem).
Moreover, E-mail address: [email protected] (C.L.M. Silva). 1 Tel.: +351 21 7127153; fax: +351 21 7127162. 2 Tel.: +351 22
55 80058; fax: +351 22 50 90351.
the reported concentration data may vary with the extraction method, the way to express the results, and other factors such as
cultivars (Zhang and Hamauzu, 2004; Alasalvar et al., 2005), post-harvest (Leja et al., 1997) and processing conditions (Ge ̨bc-
zyn ́ ski, 2006). No information is available with respect to the effect of thermal treatment on total phenolics content in carrots. In
rela- tion to other vegetables, the existing information is not clear and many times contradictory. Turkmen et al. (2005) revealed
that dif- ferent cooking methods (boiling, steaming and microwaving) caused losses on squash, peas and leek total phenolics.
However, under the same conditions, vegetables such as green beans, pep- pers and broccoli increased their amount in phenolics.
Crozier et al. (1997) explains this decrease due to phenolics breakdown by heat, and Stewart et al. (2000) concluded that in
certain vegeta- bles the increase in total phenolics content may be due to free flavonols increase.
Vegetables carotenoids have been receiving attention due to their health benefits, since all exhibit provitamin A activity and
are linked with antioxidant properties. Moreover, carotenoids are responsible for orange colour vegetables, like carrots, and the
col- our intensity is considered a reliable indicator of higher nutritive value. Thus, it is appropriate to apply colour measurements
for ra- pid indication of carotenoid contents in processed carrots. As sta- ted by Marx et al. (2003), heat treatments promote
carotenoids isomerisation, leading to degradation on its physiological functions and a consequent modification on products
colour.
Textural properties of different vegetable products are predom- inantly governed by the physico-chemical characteristics of
the cell wall, and how they change during processing. A considerable amount of research has been directed towards
understanding the effect of blanching treatments on texture degradation of carrots (Lo et al., 2002). Thermosoftening in carrots is
strongly related to the pectin solubility properties and the accompanying depolymer- isation mechanisms (Sila et al., 2006).
Nevertheless, Greve et al. (1994) stated that tissue firmnesses is lost rapidly in the first few minutes, when carrots are processed
at high temperature (±90 °C), and then more slowly over the duration of the process period. Apparently this biphasic pattern on
texture loss is due to two distinct processes related to cellular turgor and cell wall integrity.
The improvement on carrot blanching treatment application, prior to freezing, is required aiming at product’s quality improve-
ment. One approach, for optimizing the blanching treatment, is to develop kinetic studies and model the temperature and time ef-
fects on the extent of property changes.
The inactivation of POD in carrots has been studied by Anthon and Barrett (2002), Morales-Blancas et al. (2002) and Soysal
and Soylemez (2005). The first-order kinetic model (Eq. (1)) was one of the models proposed:
PP
0
1⁄4 eÀk
ðTÞ
t. ð1Þ
In the above equation, P is generally defined as the measured quality factor, in this case enzyme activity. In addition, the index
0 indicates the initial value, t the heating time, and k the rate con- stant at temperature T.
To describe texture degradation kinetics behavior, Vu et al. (2004) proposed the use of a fractional conversion model (Eq. (2)),
based on first-order kinetics. This model can be considered when a quality parameter varies from an initial value until a resid- ual
(or equilibrium) one, which is further retained:
PÀP
eq P
0
ÀP
eq
1⁄4 eÀk
ðTÞ
t. ð2Þ
The subscript eq indicates equilibrium value.
In all the kinetic studies referred, the rate constant temperature dependence is described by an Arrhenius behavior:
k
ðTÞ

, ð3Þ
where k
ref
E
a R 1⁄4 k
ref
exp À
1T
À
T
1
ref
is the rate constant at a reference temperature, T
ref
,E
a
the activation energy, and R the universal gas constant.
Therefore, the temperature effect can be directly included in quality factors pre- diction, by substitution of Eq. (3) into kinetic
models.
Kinetic studies on isomerisation of carotenoids during heating and illumination were performed by Chen et al. (1994).
However, studies on determining kinetic parameters by using colorimetric values on carrot products are limited. Besides, no
published data on kinetics of thermal phenolic degradation in vegetables have been found in the literature.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the kinetics of car- rot (Daucus carota L.) peroxidase inactivation, phenolic
degradation as well as colour and texture changes during hot water blanching treatments. The overall results will help to define
optimal hot water blanching conditions for maximum quality retention in a frozen carrot product development.
Materials and methods
Sample preparation and blanching process
Carrots (Daucus carota L. cv ‘‘Nantes”), at a commercially mar- ketable stage, were obtained from a local market in Lisbon,
Portu- gal. The roots were selected according to the uniformity of its size, shape and colour. Carrots were mechanically peeled,
washed and sliced into 5 ± 1 mm, using a cut machine DITO MV 50 (made in France). For heat treatments, samples were
immersed in a thermo- static water-bath (±1 °C) at five temperatures (70, 75, 80, 85 and 90 °C) and collected after reaching
pre-established time. The ratio sample weight/water volume was 400 g of fresh product/50 L. Dur- ing the isothermal heat
treatments, the temperature of water and samples was monitored by means of thermocouples (type T thin thermocouple, 1.2mm
diameter, embedded in a stainless steel hypodermic needle, Ellab, Denmark, with an accuracy of ±2 °C). After blanching, the
samples were cooled in an iced water-bath for 2 min. Excess moisture was removed before any further analy- sis. Each
experiment was replicated twice. An unheated sample was taken as a control.
Peroxidase activity analysis
Raw and blanched carrot samples (20 g each) were weighed into 100 ml of 1 M sodium chloride solution. The samples were
homogenized in a blender at 4 °C for 2 min, and the homogenate was centrifuged in polypropylene tubes at 7000 rpm, using a
Sorv- all Instruments RC5C centrifuge, at 4 °C for 15 min. The slurry was filtered using 1.2 lm membrane filters (Whatman). The
filtrate was mixed with guaiacol and H
2
O
2
as substrates. The absorbance increase at 470nm was recorded using an UV/VIS, ATI
Unicam spectrophotometer, as described by Bifani et al. (2002). The defini- tion used for 1 unit of enzyme activity was the
amount of enzyme that produced a change in absorbance of 1.0 per min and per mL of extract sample, under the assay conditions.
The analyses were car- ried out in four independent extracts. The total initial enzyme activity was determined from 10 fresh
product samples.
Total phenolic content evaluation
Total phenolics were determined using Folin–Ciocalteu reagent, as described by Singleton and Rossi (1965). Raw and
processed
vegetables samples were homogenised with 70% ethanol (1:1, w/v) using a Yellow line DI 25 basic polytron. The mixture was
centrif- ugated (Sorvall RC-5, rotor SS34) at 19000 rpm for 20 min at 4 °C. One hundred microliter of supernatant was mixed
with 5 ml of Fo- lin–Ciocalteau (1/10, v/v)) and 4 ml Na
2
Results and discussion
Peroxidase inactivation
CO
3
(7.5%, w/v). The mix- ture was placed in a water-bath (45 °C – for 15min).
Samples were evaluated in a ATI Unicam UV/VIS UV4 spectrophotometer (ATI Unicam Ltd., Cambridge, U.K) at 765 nm using
gallic acid as standard. Results were expressed as milligram gallic acid equiva- lents (GAE)/100 g of vegetable weight. Each
treatment condition was analysed six times.
Colour evaluation
The colour of carrot samples was assessed using a handheld tri- stimulus colorimeter (Minolta Chroma Meter CR-300, Osaka,
Ja- pan) and a CIE standard illuminant C to determine CIE colour space co-ordinates, L* a* b* values. The colorimeter was
calibrated against a standard white reference tile. Lightness value, L*, indi- cates how dark/light the sample is (varying from
0-black to 100- white), a* is a measure of greenness/redness (varying from À60 to +60), and b* is the grade of
blueness/yellowness (also varying from À60 to +60). Samples were placed in a clear glass Petri dish (ten replicates), and colour
measurements were done in triplicate.
Texture evaluation
Texture measurements were performed in a TA.HDi Texture Analyser (Stable Micro-System Ltd., Godalming, UK), using a
500 N load cell and equipped with a 5 mm diameter probe. A single puncture measurement was made on each sample (10 mm
depth of penetration, velocity of 1.0 mm sÀ1). Force–distance curves were recorded and firmness (maximum peak force, N) and
energy (area under force-distance curve, J) were used as indicator of textural parameters. At least 12 measurements were done for
each tested condition.
Data analysis
An analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA with replication) was performed to assess the blanching time–temperature
conditions effect on peroxidase activity, total phenolic content, colour and texture changes.
Total phenolic retention Rate constants of carrot
peroxidase inactivation, phenolic con- tent degradation, and colour and texture changes were estimated by non-linear regression
analysis, fitting the models of Eqs. (1) and (2) (depending on the parameter considered) to isothermal experimental data. The
temperature effect on rate constants was described by the Arrhenius law (Eq. (3)).
The reaction rate at reference temperature and the activation energy were estimated directly from experimental data in
one-step (quality factor versus time, at all temperatures), by performing a global non-linear regression analysis, merging the
Arrhenius equa- tion and the considered kinetic model. The reference temperature used was the average value of the range
considered (i.e. T
ref
The fresh carrot (Daucus carota L.) showed an initial peroxidase activity (±standard deviation) of 43.53 ± 0.70 Abs minÀ1
gÀ1. Fig. 1 presents the residual activity as a function of time for the different tested temperatures. The data was normalized in
relation to the specific activity observed in the raw product (i.e. P/P
0
). The enzyme inactivation was significantly affected (P < 0.05) by the
blanching time and temperature. The peroxidase residual activity at 70 °C de- creases to 5% at 40min residence time. On the
other hand, no activity of peroxidase was detected after 2 min of thermal treat- ment at 90 °C.
 Previous studies reported two isoforms of the carrot POD en- zyme, with different susceptibilities to heat denaturation (the la-
bile and the resistant forms). This biphasic degradation behavior was observed, for example, by Soysal and Soylemez (2005) at
tem- peratures below 70 °C. Enzyme inactivation behavior at 75 °C or higher temperatures, occurred by a simpler process.
Accordingly, in the present study a monophasic behavior was obtained (Fig. 1). Hence, in the tested temperature range, and
despite the possible presence of the two enzyme forms (resistant and labile), only the resistant behavior was evident (Polata et al.,
2009). Exper- imental results were well described by an Arrhenius first-order ki- netic model (Eqs. (1) and (3)), for all tested
temperatures (model fit obtained by one-step regression analysis is included in Fig. 1). The quality of the model fit was assessed
by analysis of the residuals. Fig. 1 presents also the normality and residuals plots with no ten- dency. The value of R2 was 0.99.
Estimated kinetic parameters and confidence intervals at 95% are presented in Table 1. The obtained activation energy is in
line with the one reported by Soysal and Soylemez (2005) (148 kJ molÀ1) for POD heat resistant fraction. However, Anthon and
Barrett (2002) and Morales-Blancas et al. (2002) found higher and lower values, 478 and 86 kJ molÀ1
,
respectively, in the same vegetable and for the same enzyme fraction.
In commercial situations, an acceptable level of inactivation represents a 90% loss of original activity (Williams et al., 1986).
Ta- ble 2 presents different time–temperature combinations required to achieve this objective.
Raw carrots total phenolic content was 84 ± 0.96 (GAE)/ 100 g fresh tissue. These results are in the range of values found by
Zhang and Hamauzu (2004) for peel Chibagosum and Hitomigosun carrot varieties, 78.3 and 62.0 mg GAE/100 g FW,
respectively.
The experimental results for the total phenolic content (%) changes are presented in Fig. 2. Blanching induces significant changes
(P < 0.05) on product phenolic content, that can be the re- sult of several phenomena, such as thermal degradation (autoxida- tion
or breakdown), and diffusion or/and leaching (Lindley, 1998). It can be observed that higher intensity heat treatments result on =
higher phenolic content losses. The same behaviour
was found 80 °C), aiming at improving parameters’ estimation.
by Ismail et al. (2004) and Turkmen et al. (2005) for
different Parameters’ precision was evaluated by confidence intervals at
vegetables. These authors found that blanching in
boiling water 95%, the quality of the regression assessed, by the coefficient of
for one minute reduced phenolic content between 14%
and 40%, determination (R2), and randomness and normality of residuals
for vegetables like spinach, cabbage, peas or squash.
In this study, analyses (Hill and Grieger-Block, 1980), thus allowing best model
blanching carrot at 90 °C for 1 min retained ca. 80% of
its initial to- selection.
tal phenolic content. If the extreme conditions applied to
carrots to Statistica version 6.0 software (Stata Corporation, 1999) was
inactivate 90% of peroxidase initial activity (70 °C –
25 min and used for all regression analysis procedures (using least squares
90 °C – 1.4 min) were used, total phenolic content
would suffer a estimation and Levenverg-Marquart method, for minimising the
degradation of c.a. 36.5% and 24.1%, respectively
(Table 2). Total sum of squares of the deviations between experimental values
phenolic content was less retained for process at lower
tempera- and the ones predicted by the mathematical model).
ture for longer time.
 The carrots total phenolic content degradation followed a first- order reaction kinetics (Eq. (1)) with an Arrhenius behavior
(Eq. (3)) with blanching temperature (Fig. 2), exhibiting a good correla- tion coefficient between the fitted model and
experimental data (R2 = 0.98). Examining the agreement between the observed exper- imental data and the exponential model
predicted values, the plot of the residual values as a function of the predicted values and the frequency distribution of residuals of
total phenolic content
1.0
P
0.8
90 oC ___ Global mod. fit
0.6
(DO
0.4
0.2
0.0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 Time (min)
Distribution of the observed experimental data
and model predicted data
Distribution of residuals and predicted values 1.2
0.15
80
1.0 s e u l a
0.8
Predicted values
seulaV
0.10
0.05
70
v
la
ycne
60
de
0.6
ud
0.00
uq
50
vr
0.4
isR
erF
40 e s b O
0.2
e
-0.05
30
-0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 -0.10.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 -0.15 -0.10 -0.05 0.00 0.05
0.10 0.15
Predicted Values
Residual values
Fig. 1. Water blanching temperature and time effects on carrot POD enzyme activity.
Table 1 Apparent kinetic parameters, and corresponding confidence intervals at 95%, for carrot peroxidase inactivation, and total
phenolic content, colour and texture degradation due to blanching.
Quality factor (kinetic model) Apparent kinetic parameters
P
0
20 0.0
-0.10
10 -0.2
-0.15
0
(minÀ1) E
a
(kJ molÀ1)
Peroxidase inactivation Arrhenius first-order; Eqs. (1) and (3) P/P
0
P
eq
k
80°C
1 – 0.40 ± 0.02 151.40 ± 5.44
Total phenolic content Arrhenius first-order; Eqs. (1) and (3) (%) 100 – 0.062 ± 0.002 123.51 ± 3.98
Colour Arrhenius first-order; Eqs. (1) and (3) L* 50.25 ± 0.37 – 0.00645 ± 0.0083 187.03 ± 13.60 Arrhenius fractional
conversion; Eqs. (2) and (3) a* 20.82 ± 0.29 10.82 ± 0.34 0.15 ± 0.016 186.39 ± 10.33 b* 47.62 ± 0.61 33.33 ± 0.61 0.16 ± 0.027
231.16 ± 17.01
Texture Arrhenius fractional conversion; Eqs. (2) and (3) Firmness (N) 22.42 ± 0.34 4.96 ± 0.62 0.11 ± 0.01 151.97 ± 7.37
Energy (J) 0.01857 ± 0.00024 0.00278 ± 0.00056 0.082 ± 0.006 171.24 ± 6.97
(Fig. 2), can be concluded that the model is adequate. Moreover, p-levels of all the estimated constants are lower than 0.05. From
this information, it is possible to conclude that the first-order kinetics is a valid model to describe total phenolic changes in
carrots (Table 1). The high activation energy of phenolic content degradation, 123.51 kJ molÀ1, makes this quality parameter
very sensitive to higher temperatures, reinforcing the importance of optimizing the blanching conditions.
70 oC
75 oC
80 oC
85 oC
Residual frequency distribution
 The initial CIE colour L*, a* and b* (±standard deviation) of non- blanched carrots (the reference raw sample) were 53.20 ±
0.80, 21.07±0.82 and 49.64±1.10, respectively. As processing time and temperature increased, carrots became darker,
corresponding to a decrease in the L*-values, and lost its redness (a*-value de- creased) and yellowness (b*-value decreased). As
stated by Ahmed et al. (2002a), heat induces modifications on carotenoid pigment, resulting in significant vegetables colour
changes. The effect of temperature on L*, a*, b* parameters is shown in Fig. 3.
An Arrhenius first-order model (Eqs. (1) and (3)) was success- fully fitted to experimental data of L* parameter. For a* and
b*
Table 2 Time–temperature blanching conditions to achieve 90% carrot peroxidase inactiva- tion, and corresponding quality
parameter losses.
Temperature (°C)
Time (min)
Quality parameters losses (%)
Total phenolic
Colour parameters
Texture (N)
L* a* b*
70 25 36.5 2.5 21.2 10 35.4 75 12 33.4 3.0 24.5 13.9 36.2 80 6 31.1 3.8 28.2 18.5 37.5 85 2.8 26.8 4.3 30.6 22.2 36.5 90 1.4 24.1
5.1 33.3 25.8 36.7
Colour changes
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
100
)%(tnetnoccilonehplatoT
80
Distribution of residuals and predicted values
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100110
Predicted Values
90 oC ___ Global mod. fit
60
40
20
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Time (min) Distribution of the observed experimental data and model
predicted data
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100110
Predicted Values
20
120
15
100 10
5
0
-5
-10
-15
-20
Fig. 2. Carrot total phenolic content changes during blanching treatments.
changes, an Arrhenius fraction conversion kinetics model was satisfactorily fitted (Eqs. (2) and (3)). Examples of experimental
L*, a* and b* data and model fits can be observed in Fig. 3. The qual- ity of the global model fit and regression analysis was
assessed by randomness and normality of the residuals inspection (as in the previous situations). Estimated activation energies,
rate constants at the reference temperature of 80 °C, and corresponding 95% con- fidence intervals of carrot colour factors are
included in Table 1. In all cases, normality and randomness of residuals were verified, and the coefficient of determination, R2,
were satisfactorily high (0.83, 0.91 and 0.84 for L*, a* and b* parameters, respectively). The acti- vation energy values for colour
degradation varied between 186 and 231 kJ molÀ1. These high activation energy values indicated large heat sensitivity. Other
coloured carotenoid vegetables, namely green chilli puree (Ahmed et al., 2000), onion paste (Ahmed and Shivhare, 2001), mango
puree (Ahmed et al., 2002a) and red chilli puree (Ahmed et al., 2002b), seem to be less affected with thermal processes,
presenting lower E
a
values (range from 11.4 to 36.8 kJ/mol). All the determined colour parameters
(L*, a* and b*) are appropriate to describe carrot colour degradation, with similar E
a
and R2, while the standard error values were less than 0.003.
Under the mentioned extreme conditions (70 °C – 25min and 90 °C –1.4min), colour factors would suffer the following
degradation in relation to raw product: L* 2.5% and 5.1%, a* 21% and 33%, and b* 10% and 26%, respectively (Table 2).
Confirming the results obtained above, colour parameters showed to be more
70 oC
75 oC
80 oC
85 oC
80
60
40
20
0
-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15
Residual Values
Residual frequency distribution
 90 oC 30
___ Global mod. fit
25
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Time (min) 24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
90 oC ___ Global mod. fit 6
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Time (min) 55
b
90 oC ___ Global mod. fit
Time (min) 50
45
seulav*
40
35
30
25
20
Fig. 3. Carrot colour degradation (L*, a* and b* parameters) during blanching process.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
60
L
55
50
seulav*
45
40
35
70 oC
75 oC
80 oC
85 oC
70 oC
75 oC
80 oC
85 oC
70 oC
75 oC
80 oC
85 oC
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
Fig. 4. Blanching temperature and time effects on carrot textural (firmness and energy) parameters.
affected when a higher temperature with shorter time process was applied.
Texture degradation
Raw carrots exhibited firmness and energy values (±standard deviation) of 23.72±1.29N and 19.09 Â 10À3 ± 1.16 Â 10À3 J,
respectively, which rapidly decreased when time and temperature increased, until a residual texture level. The texture degradation
curves of carrots, firmness and energy, at various temperatures, 75–90 °C, are shown in Fig 4. This texture behavior is consistent
with results found by Bourne (1987) for carrots. Although consis- tently increasing with heating time, most of the texture losses
occurred within the first 10–15 min.
The kinetic changes of firmness and energy parameters were ana- lysed. Over the tested temperature range, the experimental
data were successfully described by a fraction conversion kinetic model (Eq. (2)). Arrhenius equation (Eq. (3)) was used to
express tempera- ture dependence of rate constants (k) and estimate activation energy
28
F
26
24
22
20
)N(ssenmr
18
16
14
i
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
8
6
4
2
0
90 oC ___ mod. fit
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 Time (min)
Time (min)
90 oC ___ mod. fit
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
70 oC
75 oC
80 oC
85 oC
70 oC
75 oC
80 oC
85 oC
). values (E
a
The results from the one-step non-linear regression and their 95% confidence intervals are presented in Table 1. The
ade- quacy of model for firmness and energy parameters can also be ob- served in Fig. 4. The quality of the model fit was
assessed by analysis of residuals (i.e. normality and randomness were con- firmed). The values of R2 were 0.95 for both texture
parameters.
The obtained activation energy for carrot firmness (152 kJ molÀ1) is higher compared with the values found in the litera- ture
for different carrot varieties. Vu et al. (2004) reported activa- tion energies in the range of 92–118 kJ molÀ1, applying first-order
and fractional kinetic models, respectively. However, they studies were made at higher temperatures (90–120 °C and 80–110 °C,
respectively).
Table 2 shows that carrots firmness was affected in the same extent (around 36%) at all the conditions proposed to inactivate
90% of POD activity. Therefore, texture is not a parameter that might influence the selection of an optimum thermal treatment.
As a final remark, the estimated kinetic parameters must be considered apparent, since the product internal heat resistance was
not considered.
Conclusion
Carrots peroxidase enzyme inactivation due to water blanch- ing treatments follows first-order model kinetics. Six minutes at
80 °C are sufficient to inactivate 90% of the peroxidase activity. This condition ensures a good retention of total phenolic content
(70%). An increase in the thermal treatment intensity promotes higher total phenolic content losses. The degradation kinetics of
this carrot quality parameter in water blanching follows a first- order model.
Upon thermal treatment, colour parameters change. The CIE L* parameter followed a first-order degradation processes.
However, a* and b* parameters were well described by a fractional conver- sion model. Texture factors (firmness and energy)
were well de- scribed by a fractional conversion model. The Arrhenius model described the temperature dependence of the
reaction rate con- stant of all the factors considered. Under the extreme experimental conditions proposed to inactivate 90% of
peroxidase activity, 70 °C – 25min and 90 °C – 1.4min, colour CIE parameters content showed to be less stable at a higher
temperature for a short time, while texture is equally affected. The conditions of 80 °C during 6 min appear to be a good
engagement between all the analysed quality parameters.
The present study results revealed that carrots colour parame- ters were the most temperature sensitive (higher E
a
values). Thus, the improvement in colour of thermally treated carrots
should be set in relation to the other quality parameters.
Acknowledgements
Author T.R.S. Brandão acknowledges financial support to Fun- dação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal), via a
Post-Doctoral fellowship (SFRH/BPD/11580/2002). All authors acknowledge financial support through Programa Operacional
para a Agricultura e o Desenvolvimento Rural – Project AGRO No. 822 (Novas Tecnologias de Processamento de
Hortofrutícolas Congelados – EMERCON).
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