KINETICS OF THERMAL SOFTENING OF VEGETABLES

Abstract

The rate of softening in several canned vegetables during the retort process was studied. The rate of softening is consistent with two simultaneous first order kinetic mechanisms; mechanism 1 acting on substrate “a” and mechanism 2 acting on substrate “b”. The rate constants for mechanism 1 are 20 times or more greater than the rate constantsfor mechanism 2. Approximately 85% to 97% of the firmness of the raw commodity is contributed by substrate “a” and the remaining firmness is contributed by substrate “b”. Mechanism 1 is probably due to pectic changes in the interlamellar layer. The biochemical nature of substrate 2 is a matter of speculation. The apparent Arrhenius activation energies range from 5.1 to 35.0 Kcal/mole. The data indicates that softening kinetics of vegetables is more complex than has been formerly assumed.