Abstract: | The purpose of this study was to analyze the degree which fresh green peas maintain their technological properties and nutritional components during long-term storage, for a period of 24 months, in a defined condition of the air, at maximum -18°C. Peas were blanched, at four different durations of this operation and the same temperature of the blanching water, 95°C. The peas were frozen after end stored.
In conditions of long-term storage of frozen peas, it has been found a considerable loss of the initial content of vitamin C and damage of chlorophyll (total, a and b), under the action of chlorophyllase, causing some gray compounds.
The conditions of the storage in frozen stage produced a distortion of color and sensorial qualities, higher as the storage temperature was higher than prescribed. It was found that the best results in preserving quality of peas during long-term storage (24 months) were obtained for the blanched samples at 4 minutes at 95°C. The reducing of the content of vitamin C, chlorophyll a and b, and sensorial qualities was the lowest, overall. |