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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Plant Genetic Resources and Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #267132

Title: Improving Quality of Refrigerated Potato Strips by Near-Aseptic Packaging

Author
item Oner, Manolya
item WALKER, PAUL - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Annual Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2011
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The effect of hot water blanching and near-aseptic packaging on the shelf-life of refrigerated potato strips was investigated based on quality; microbial, textural and color. Potato strips were first blanched at low temperature (60 °C) for 10- or 20-min, and then second blanched at high temperature (~98 °C) for 1-, 5- or 10-min. Blanched potato strips were cooled and packaged into near-aseptic polyethylene bags using a near-aseptic packaging chamber. Microbial spoilage was observed for all treatments which received a second blanch of only 1-min. No microbial growth was observed within 28 days of refrigerated storage in strips treated for either 10- or 20-min in first blanch followed by 5- or 10-min in second blanch. Near-aseptically packaged refrigerated potato fries were significantly lighter in color and higher in textural quality compared to unprocessed fries (neither blanched nor near-aseptically packaged). No significant changes were observed in quality of near-aseptically packaged refrigerated potato strips during 28 days of storage at 7 ± 1 °C. These results indicate that combination of blanching and near-aseptic packaging is the better non-chemical alternative method for potato strips to extend shelf-life.