Development of processes for high quality foods

Because of partial restrictions in the use of sulphites as an inhibitor of enzymatic browning in raw fruits and vegetables, a number of sulphite substitutes have been introduced in the food industry (ascorbic and erythorbic acids or their sodium salts in combination with citric acid and other additives). In order to develop effective browning inhibitor formulations and processing conditions for fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in this project, as a part of investigation will be to find an effective browning inhibitor formulation or some new and GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) browning inhibitor. In the same time these formulations should not support human pathogen microorganisms survival. For that reason, a new synergistic mixture (fatty acids and their glycerides, fractions of ethereal oils, antioxidants) will be applied, to fresh fruits and vegetables. The prolongation of shelf life beyond of that of traditionally preserved food products (such as pasteurised) will be one of the objectives of this project. The high pressure processing (HPP) will be applied on some fruit and vegetable products in order to inactivate present microorganisms, and enzyme activity without the use of chemical preservatives, and in the same time to retain food quality (colour, aroma, physical properties) and nutritive value equal to or better than pasteurised. In the same time, it will be pay a certain attention to find out whether high pressure injures or permanently inactivate microbe cells. That is the basic question which need an answer to achieve a food safety. As a part of a long period of research the scientists on this project will try to develop a food products with some improved sensory (aroma, flavour), rheological (viscosity, consistency), thermophysical (temperature and heat of freezing) and physical properties with an addition of different hydrocolloids, starches, starch modifications, or resistant starches from different raw materials. Special attention will be paid to the of processing conditions, conservation, and packaging. The raw material that is going to be used for this research, mostly fruits and vegetables, will be subjected to analysis of basic ingredients, specific compounds such as phenolic compounds, pigments, aroma compounds and others, depending on preserving process. Since anthocyanins and other flavonoids have an array of health-promoting benefits, their antioxidative activity in fruits and vegetables will be investigated by most recent analytical techniques.