JPH04330247A - Discoloration-preventive agent for use in apple - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the title agent capable of preventing in a simple operation the discoloration of apple after cutting or peeling without altering its mouth feeling etc., containing, as active ingredient, a composition comprising sodium L-ascorbate, sodium phosphate-based component (s) and starch-degraded products etc. at specified proportion. CONSTITUTION:The objective agent containing, as active ingredient, a composition prepared by incorporating (A) 100 pts.wt. of sodium L-ascorbate with (B) 10-120 pts.wt. of at least one kind of sodium phosphate-based component selected from sodium ultraphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate and sodium dihydrogenphosphate and (C) 5-65 pts.wt. of at least one kind of substance selected from starch-degraded products (e.g. glucose) and common salt. The surface after peeling apples is e.g. sprayed with a solution of the present agent at concentration of 0.1-5wt.%.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an anti-discoloration agent used in the food industry to prevent apples from discoloring after being cut or peeled, and furthermore when apples are dried.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Apples are one of the fruits most used in daily diet. For example, in the restaurant industry,
Examples include garnishes for steaks and hamburgers, decorations for children's lunches, and desserts such as parfaits. When apples are used in the food service industry, they are traditionally cut or peeled (in the following description, cutting and peeling are simply referred to as peeling), and then soaked in salt water to prevent discoloration that occurs over time. Once soaked, it was stored in the refrigerator and used. However, this method is very time-consuming, so recently, especially in large-scale restaurant industries and companies with a labor shortage, some companies have begun to ask specialized companies to purchase peeled apples, store them in a refrigerator, and use them as needed. This is what is currently being used. The problem with storing large amounts of peeled apples in the refrigerator is that the surface of the apples will turn yellowish brown or brown over time.
Discoloration”. This discoloration significantly impairs the image of apples as food, and they lose their value as products. Also,
In recent years, food has become popular as a snack, and apples are also widely used as a food ingredient for snacks. In this case as well, a major problem is the discoloration (reddish brown, brownish color) of the surface of the dried apple chips. Dried apple chips are made by cutting apples with skin or peeled apples into appropriate sizes, soaking them in water or salt solution, and drying them. However, the discoloration of the apple chip surface that occurs at this time could not be avoided, even if the apple chip surface was exposed to the air and then immediately immersed in saline solution and subjected to a drying process. This discoloration is also undesirable because it significantly reduces the commercial value in terms of appearance. Generally, the discoloration that occurs when the surface of an apple is exposed to air is said to be caused by the oxidation of substrates such as tyrosine and chlorogenic acid by the apple's own polyphenol oxidase. Therefore, research on this discoloration has been conducted for a long time, and various physical and chemical solutions have been proposed. Known physical methods include, for example, a method of deactivating enzymes by heating known as blanching, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-2
There is a method described in Japanese Patent No. 5441, in which an oxygen absorber is placed in a container and the container is sealed, or the oxygen in the container is replaced with nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, etc., and the container is stored at a low temperature. In addition, vinyl-based, vinylidene-based, olefin-based, nylon-based, butadiene-based oxygen scavengers containing activated iron oxide, hydrosulfite-based, calcium hydroxide-based, or iron-based oxygen scavengers according to JP-A-61-25442 are also available. Methods using containers with low oxygen permeability such as
No. 22553, a freshness-preserving agent made by mixing a water-absorbing polymer such as a crosslinked sodium polyacrylate, a polyvinyl alcohol maleate ester polymer, or a starch acrylic acid graft polymer with activated carbon can be used together with fresh foods such as fruits such as vinyl chloride and There is a method for preserving the freshness of fruits and vegetables, which is characterized by sealing packaging with polyethylene sheets. In addition, as a known chemical method, for example, JP-A-5
9-140832, a method of treatment with ammonium alum aqueous solution, and JP-A-60-4
Acidic sodium sulfite, sodium chloride, citric acid, sodium ersorbate, which are described in Publication No. 1437,
Method of treatment with an aqueous solution of L-ascorbic acid and the like further added with sodium polyphosphate, JP-A-62-1436
A method of attaching a solution of acetic acid, calcium lactate and/or sodium acetate, as described in Japanese Patent No. 35, has been proposed. However, blanching, methods that add special characteristics to packaging materials, methods that replace air with specific gases, and methods that hermetically package foods with freshness-preserving agents require large-scale equipment and a large amount of heat. However, it is difficult to make a profit, especially when storing for a short period of time, as it is very expensive. Furthermore, blanching also has the disadvantage that the desired characteristic apple aroma and texture are lost. In addition, the method using ammonium alum has a characteristic harsh taste, and the method using acidic sodium sulfite is concerned about carcinogenicity. Furthermore, the method of depositing a solution of acetic acid, calcium lactate and/or sodium acetate has the disadvantage that sufficient effects cannot be obtained.

0003

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems with peeled fresh apples and dried apple chips, the present invention has been made to provide a process for peeling fresh apples that can be easily performed without requiring large-scale equipment, heat, or cost. The object of the present invention is to provide an apple discoloration preventive agent that does not affect aroma, texture, or taste.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] That is, the present invention provides L
- 10 to 120 parts by weight of one or more sodium phosphate components selected from sodium ultraphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and sodium dihydrogen phosphate, starch decomposition products, and salt per 100 parts by weight of sodium ascorbate. One or more ingredients selected from 5~
The present invention provides an anti-discoloration agent for apples containing a composition containing 65 parts by weight as an active ingredient.

[0005] As the sodium phosphate used in the active ingredient composition of the discoloration inhibitor of the present invention, one or more sodium phosphates selected from ultrasodium phosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and sodium dihydrogen phosphate may be used. can. The ratio of the total amount of one or more types of sodium phosphate selected from sodium ultraphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and sodium dihydrogen phosphate is 10 to 1 with respect to 100 parts by weight of sodium L-ascorbate.
20 parts by weight can be used. This usage amount is 10
If the amount is less than 120 parts by weight, discoloration of apples cannot be sufficiently prevented, and if it exceeds 120 parts by weight, the apples will have a sour or off-taste taste, which is not preferable.

[0006] As the starch decomposition products used in the active ingredient composition of the discoloration inhibitor of the present invention, for example, dextrins of various degrees of polymerization produced by hydrolyzing starch, glucose, maltose, etc. can be used. Two or more kinds of these starch decomposition products can be used in combination. In the active ingredient composition of the present invention, one or more ingredients selected from the starch decomposition products and common salt are added to sodium L-ascorbate.
00 parts by weight, 5 to 65 parts by weight can be used. The proportion of starch decomposition products is less than 5% by weight based on 100% by weight of sodium L-ascorbate, or
If the content exceeds 65% by weight, the effect of preventing discoloration of apples will be insufficient.

[0007] Dissolving the discoloration prevention agent for apples of the present invention in water,
The active ingredient composition of the present invention can be used as an aqueous solution with a concentration of 0.1 to 5% by weight by spraying it on the surface of peeled apples or by immersing peeled apple pieces in this aqueous solution. can. When the active ingredient concentration of the aqueous solution when using the discoloration inhibitor of the present invention is 0.1% by weight or less, it is difficult to obtain a sufficient discoloration prevention effect.
On the other hand, even if it is used in an amount of 5% by weight or more, the effect commensurate with the concentration cannot be obtained. Furthermore, it is not preferable to make it too dark because it affects the taste of apples. When apples are immersed in the aqueous solution of the discoloration inhibitor of the present invention, the time can be appropriately selected from 10 seconds to 15 minutes depending on the concentration of the aqueous solution and the size of the apple pieces. The apples treated with the aqueous solution of the anti-discoloration agent of the present invention are drained and then stored in a refrigerator as peeled fresh apples or subjected to a drying process to produce dried apple chips.

[0008]

[Examples] Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail using Examples and Comparative Examples. Preparation of Samples Twelve compositions of Examples and 34 Comparative Examples were prepared at the blending ratios shown in Table 1. The abbreviations shown represent the following substances. ANa: Sodium L-ascorbate UHP: Sodium ultraphosphate HP: Sodium hexametaphosphate P2: Sodium dihydrogen phosphate D: Dextrin G: Glucose NaCl: Salt

Experimental method A commercially available apple (Tsugaru) was cored and peeled, then cut into 5 pieces lengthwise.
Cut into pieces 10 mm wide and 3 mm thick, immersed in 0.1 wt% or 5 wt% aqueous solutions of Examples and Comparative Examples for 10 minutes and 15 seconds, drained, and stored in a refrigerator at 5°C for 3 days. saved. After draining, the dried apples were left to dry overnight in a vacuum dryer at a temperature of 50 to 60°C and a pressure of 20 to 30 mmHg. The color, aroma, texture, and taste of the obtained fresh apples and dried apples were observed. The results are shown in Table 1 as well as the sample preparation.

Evaluation Criteria [Color] ◯: No discoloration, yellowish white color. △: Discolored to yellowish brown. ×: Discolored to brown. [Fragrance] ○: The aroma is almost the same as that of a freshly cut apple or when it is dried as it is. [Texture] ○: The texture is almost the same as that of an apple when it is freshly cut or dried as it is. [Taste] ○: No particular change, good. △: Slightly unusual sourness or strange taste is felt. ×: Unnatural sourness or strange taste is felt.

[0011]

[Table 1]

0012

[Table 2]

[0013]

[Table 3]

[0014]

[Table 4]

[0015] As is clear from the results in Table 1, by using the discoloration inhibitor of the present invention, the color, aroma, and
Discoloration that occurs after peeling, cutting, or drying can be prevented without affecting texture and taste.

[0016]

Effects of the Invention The discoloration preventive agent for apples of the present invention comprises sodium L-ascorbate and one or more sodium phosphate components selected from sodium ultraphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and sodium dihydrogen phosphate. By using a composition containing a specific ratio of one or more ingredients selected from starch decomposition products (dextrin, glucose, etc.) and salt as the active ingredient, the aroma, texture, and taste of apples are affected. It is possible to prevent apples from discoloring without having to cut or peel them, and it is easy to do without requiring large equipment, heat or cost, so it is especially useful for cutting or peeling a large amount of apples at once and storing them for short or long periods of time. It can be used as an effective means in the food manufacturing industry and sales industry, such as food processing, processing, and sales.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: 10 to 120 parts by weight of one or more sodium phosphate components selected from sodium ultraphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and sodium dihydrogen phosphate per 100 parts by weight of sodium L-ascorbate; Also, an apple discoloration prevention agent containing a composition containing 5 to 65 parts by weight of one or more components selected from starch decomposition products and common salt as an active ingredient.