Combining vacuum packaging with microwave cooking makes it possible to obtain ready-to-eat asparagus of the best quality. This is what emerged from the article published on LWT - Food Science and Technology reporting the results of the "Prodotti OrtoFrutticoli ad Alto contenuto in Servizio: tecnologie per la qualità e nuovi prodotti (PON - OFrAlSer)" and "Innovazioni di prodotto e di processo per la valorizzazione della Biodiversità Orticola pugliese (FutureinResearch - InnoBiOrt)" researches.
With this objective in mind, and to preserve the organoleptic and nutritional qualities of the fresh produce, researchers from the Istituto di Scienze delle Produzioni Alimentari - Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche di Bari, in collaboration with Dipartimento di Scienze Agro-Ambientali e Territoriali - Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, have studied a way to obtain a product that is ready to eat.
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Traditional cooking methods (boiling, steaming and microwaving) were compared as well as a technique - called "sous vide" - according to which vacuum packaging is combined with microwave cooking.
Results showed how this technique makes it possible to obtain a product that is "ready to eat" and much appreciated. Another interesting aspect is the fact that colour is also preserved as well as nutritional qualities such as the carotenoid and vitamin C content.
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Gonnella, M., Durante, M., Caretto, S., D'Imperio, M., & Renna, M. (2018). Quality assessment of ready-to-eat asparagus spears as affected by conventional and sous-vide cooking methods. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 92, 161-168.
Contacts:
Dr. Massimiliano Renna Ph.D.
Dipartimento di Scienze Agro-Ambientali e Territoriali
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro
Via G. Amendola 165/A
70126 Bari
Tel.: (+39) 080 5443097
Email: massimiliano.renna@uniba.it
Dr. Maria Gonnella
Istituto di Scienze delle Produzioni Alimentari
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Via G. Amendola, 122/O
70126 Bari
Tel.: (+39) 080 5929306
Email: maria.gonnella@ispa.cnr.it