MODELLING THE MECHANICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF CARROT TISSUE DURING COOKING IN RELATION TO TEXTURE AND CELL WALL CHANGES

Abstract

ABSTRACT A tensile test was used to measure four mechanical properties of carrot tissue cooked under various time‐temperature conditions. A kinetic model describing the changes of these mechanical properties measured during cooking was developed. The histological properties of the rupture surfaces caused by the mechanical testing were investigated. The kinetic model was found capable of predicting the changes in the rupture mechanism of the cell walls. Determining the percentage of cell wall ruptures proved to be an accurate method to assess the textural state of carrot tissue during cooking as compared to the measurement of the mechanical properties.