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Cooling rates of fruits and vegetables.

Author(s) : SAQUET A., BARBOSA A., ALMEIDA D.

Summary

Rapid cooling after harvest is essential for quality maintenance of fresh fruits and vegetables. This study evaluates the cooling rates of selected fruits and vegetables in an experimental device designed and built to investigate temperature effects on fresh fruits and vegetables. ‘Rocha’ pear (Pyrus communis), ‘Camarosa’ strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa), ‘Farbaly’ apricot (Prunus armeniaca), ‘Maris Peer’ white potato tuber (Solanum tuberosum) and white mushroom (Agaricus bisporum) were used in the experiments in samples of three mass ranges: (1) 81.8 to 90.1 g; (2) 190.9 to 249.7 g; and (3) 403.3 to 506.3 g. Produce were cooled from initial temperatures ranging of 22.8 °C to 26.3 °C to a final steady state temperature with a cooling fluid at 0.3 °C and cooling parameters were determined from the experimental measurements. At the same mass range between 81.8 to 90.1 g the produce were ordered by decreasing cooling rate as follows: mushroom > strawberry > potato > apricot > pear. However, at mass range from 403.1 to 453.9 g the cooling rate differences among commodities were not as large as with lower masses and their order was: mushroom > potato > strawberry = apricot > pear. In general, all produce, masses and sizes tested, cooled to 0.6 °C in 24 h. Furthermore, a deviation of 0.3 °C between samples of potato, strawberry, apricot and pear, and glycol solution temperature was observed. In the case of mushroom, a higher temperature deviation of 0.5 °C was measured. The results suggest that in the experimental cooling system used, product specific heat and respiratory heat production are not the only determinants of the cooling rate. Product size and density play major roles.

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Pages: 8

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Details

  • Original title: Cooling rates of fruits and vegetables.
  • Record ID : 30018137
  • Languages: English
  • Source: CYTEF 2016. VIII Congreso Ibérico y VI Congreso Iberoamericano de las Ciencias y Técnicas del Frío, Coimbra-Portugal, 3-6 mayo, 2016.
  • Publication date: 2016/05/03

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