Effect of vacuum impregnation on physical changes during table olive processing

Abstract

Among the benefits which vacuum impregnation (VI) may provide to fruits and vegetables, this study focused on weight and texture changes during the processing of table olives. VI applied to Manzanilla olives led to around 10% weight gain, which was maintained after their packing as black olives. However, this weight gain was only around 4 % for Hojiblanca olives. Likewise, the use of calcium chloride was recommended to maintain the firmness of the olives, in particular those of the softer Manzanilla cultivar. With regard to the Spanish-style, the Hojiblanca cultivar achieved around 4% weight gain during processing but the use of VI for Manzanilla olives was ruled out due to softening of the fruit. In addition. the black and green color of olives and their flavor were not modified by the application of VI. This technology could be very useful to reduce weight loss during table olive processing.