Affiliation:
1. College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
2. Key Laboratory of Aquatic Products High Quality Utilization, Storage and Transportation (Co-Construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai 201306, China
3. National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Food Science and Engineering, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
4. Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Product Processing and Preservation, Shanghai 201306, China
5. Shanghai Professional Technology Service Platform on Cold Chain Equipment Performance and Energy Saving Evaluation, Shanghai 201306, China
Abstract
The strong wind pre-cooling (SWPC), ice water pre-cooling (IWPC), vacuum pre-cooling (VPC), natural convection pre-cooling (NCPC), and slurry ice pre-cooling (SIPC) techniques were used to pre-cool the fresh sweet corn (Zea mays L.), and then the pre-cooling treated sweet corn samples were stored at 4 °C for 28 days. During refrigeration, quality indicators, such as hardness, water loss, color, soluble solids content, and soluble sugar, were determined. In addition, oxidation indicators, such as peroxidase, catalase, ascorbic acid-peroxidase activity, and carotene content, were also measured. The results showed that the main problems of sweet corn during cold storage were water loss and respiration. The pre-cooling speed of SWPC is the fastest, and the latent heat of sweet corn can be removed in only 31 min. SWPC and IWPC could reduce the loss of fruit quality, maintain good color and hardness, inhibit the decrease of water, soluble solids, soluble sugars, and carotenoid contents, maintain balance between POD, APX, and CAT, and extend the shelf life of sweet corn. The shelf life of SWPC and IWPC corn reached 28 days, 14 days longer than SIPC and VPC treated samples, and 7 days longer than NCPC treated samples. Therefore, SWPC and IWPC are the appropriate methods to pre-cool the sweet corn before cold storage.
Funder
Shanghai Agriculture Applied Technology Development Program, China
Subject
Plant Science,Ecology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics