Comparison of physical, microstructural and antioxidative properties of pumpkin cubes cooked by conventional, vacuum cooking and sous vide methods

Chemical and physical properties of winter squash and their correlation with liking of their sensory attributes

Cucurbita moschata, commonly known as squash or pumpkin, is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family originating from Central America. This species is regarded as heat tolerant and disease resistant and is commonly used in breeding programs. Calabaza (wintersquash) is an emerging market type of C. moschata with increasing popularity in the United States; however, limited research has been conducted to understand how sensory qualities influence consumers' acceptability and willingness to pay (price). This study compared the sensory perception of C. moschata accessions grown in the continental southeastern United States with their physical and chemical properties using squash prepared from fresh and frozen states. The eight accessions investigated included five hybrids of calabaza from the University of Florida (University of Florida Tropical Pumpkin #), two commercial cultivars of calabaza (La Estrella and Soler), and one butternut squash cultivar (Waltham). The evaluation of fresh calabaza revealed significant differences in consumer preference among cultivars in addition to correlations with sensory attributes. UFTP8 and UFTP24 received the highest ratings, whereas UFTP38 and 'La Estrella' were rated lowest. Interestingly, the evaluation of frozen calabaza revealed UFTP8 and 'Waltham' Butternut squash as the highest in ranking, while UFTP38 and 'La Estrella' retained the lowest ranking. Consumer ratings of fresh samples revealed positive correlations between overall liking, sweetness liking, and texture liking with willingness to pay and soluble solids content (SSC). For calabaza intended for the frozen market, the color, hardness, and SSC were identified as the most significant parameters impacting willingness to pay. These results show how quality attributes can play a crucial role in consumers perception of quality and significantly influence their reported willingness to pay. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Producers and breeders can use positively correlated attributes as indicators of overall liking and to determine pricing for C. moschata products.

The Impact of Culinary Processing, including Sous-Vide, on Polyphenols, Vitamin C Content and Antioxidant Status in Selected Vegetables-Methods and Results: A Critical Review

This study presents various research methods and results analysis of the total antioxidant status (TAS), polyphenols content (PC) and vitamin C content in selected plant materials (vegetables) subjected to various technological processes, including sous-vide. The analysis included 22 vegetables (cauliflower white rose, romanesco type cauliflower, broccoli, grelo, col cabdell cv. pastoret, col lllombarda cv. pastoret, brussels sprouts, kale cv. crispa-leaves, kale cv. crispa-stem, toscana black cabbage, artichokes, green beans, asparagus, pumpkin, green peas, carrot, root parsley, brown teff, white teff, white cardoon stalks, red cardoon stalks and spinach) from 18 research papers published in 2017 to 2022. The results after processing by various methods such as conventional, steaming and sous-vide cooking were compared to the raw vegetable results. The antioxidant status was mainly determined by the radical DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods, the polyphenol content by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and the vitamin C content using dichlorophenolindophenol and liquid chromatography methods. The study results were very diverse, but in most studies, the cooking techniques contributed to reducing TAS, PC and vitamin C content, with the sous-vide process being most beneficial. However, future studies should focus on vegetables for which discrepancies in the results were noted depending on the author, as well as lack of clarity regarding the analytical methods used, e.g., cauliflower white rose or broccoli.

Medlar Jam Production (Mespilus germanica) with the Use of Sous Vide Method

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of sous vide technology on the chemical properties of fruit jams produced with medlar fruit (Mespilus germanica L.). The fruit jams were produced using sous vide technology at different temperatures: 60 °C, 70 °C, and 80 °C. The fruit jams were also produced at 100 °C using the traditional cooking method. Experimentally produced samples were evaluated by the following methods: total polyphenols content, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and organic acid determination. Among sous vide-processed samples, the samples with the highest (p < 0.05) antioxidant activity were processed at 80 °C, containing pectin; the results were the following: phenols content 0.56 ± 0.01 mg gallic acid/kg; FRAP antioxidant activity 0.32 ± 0.01 µmol Trolox/g; DPPH antioxidant activity 21.39 ± 0.33%. The obtained results showed that fruit jam production with the use of sous vide technology can affect antioxidant capacity of this food commodity. The research also provided important information about non-traditional fruit, such as medlar fruit (Mespilus germanica L.), and its processing by sous vide technology. Certainly, more analyses are necessary to give a clearer picture of the changes in medlar fruit during processing at different temperatures, and processing technologies, especially because there are presently no publications about the use of medlar fruit as a raw material in fruit jam preparation.

Unveiling the Bioactive Potential of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Waste in Human Health from a Consumer Perspective

Food supply disruption and shortage verified during the current pandemic events are a scenario that many anticipate for the near future. The impact of climate changes on food production, the continuous decrease in arable land, and the exponential growth of the human population are important drivers for this problem. In this context, adding value to food waste is an obvious strategy to mitigate food shortages, but there is a long way to go in this field. Globally, it is estimated that one-third of all food produced is lost. This is certainly due to many different factors, but the lack of awareness of the consumer about the nutritional value of certain foods parts, namely peels and seeds, is certainly among them. In this review, we will unveil the nutritional and bioactive value of the waste discarded from the most important fresh fruit and vegetables consumed worldwide as a strategy to decrease food waste. This will span the characterization of the bioactive composition of selected waste from fruits and vegetables, particularly their seeds and peels, and their possible uses, whether in our diet or recycled to other ends.