2010 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) The ultimate goal of this project is to create new and alternative technologies to produce peeled, pasteurized, blanched, dehydrated/partially-dehydrated, and/or infused/coated fruits and vegetables, restructured fruits and vegetable products, nuts, rice, or fish by-products by using combination of infrared dry-blanching (IDB), infrared peeling, freezing, freeze drying, air drying, pulsed electric field, and/or infusion/coating or related processing technologies. The new processing technologies would produce processed products with improved texture and nutritional quality, lowered production costs and reduced microbial loads compared to current technologies. The developed products may be used for cereals, snacks, and other applications. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Fresh and/or frozen fruits and vegetables, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetable purees, nuts, rice, and/or fish by-products will be used for this research. The new processing methods may include IDB, infrared peeling, infrared drying, freeze drying, freezing, air drying, pulsed electric filed, ultrasonic treatment, dipping, infusion, and/or coating or combinations of some of the processing methods. The sliced or restructured fruits and vegetables may be dipped in antioxidant solution for prevention of discoloration prior to any thermal processing steps. The effect of infusion/coating of flavors, humectants, nutrients, and phytochemicals at various processing stages on product quality and processing characteristics will be tested and evaluated. Documents SCA with UC Davis. 3.Progress Report The new infrared dry-peeling technology has been developed for tomato peeling. A pilot scale infrared dry-peeling system is under development. A pilot scale infrared drying and dry-blanching system has been developed and will be used for demonstration of the newly developed infrared drying and dry-blanching technologies. Regular meetings and reports were prepared by the ADODR.