Clarification of tissue softening behavior of frozen vegetables by analyses of water permeability and electrical characteristics of cell membrane

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14554
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 41040:Agricultural environmental engineering and agricultural information engineering-related
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Ando Yasumasa 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 食品研究部門, 主任研究員 (30736781)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 冷凍 / 野菜 / 細胞膜 / 電気インピーダンス解析 / 水透過性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this project was to clarify the effect of changes in the state of cell membranes during freezing on the softening behavior of vegetable tissues, and the structural changes in the cell membranes and water permeability of frozen vegetables were investigated. Experiments using asparagus tissue showed that damage to the cell membrane occurs regardless of the freezing rate and ice crystal size, suggesting that the decrease in turgor pressure associated with cell membrane damage is a major factor in tissue softening in frozen vegetables. In addition, storage tests of komatsuna leaves in the sub-zero temperature (-2°C) showed changes in electrical properties, suggesting that structural changes in the cell membrane occur prior to the formation of ice crystals.

Free Research Field

ポストハーベスト工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食品の中でも野菜類は凍結・解凍後の組織軟化が著しく、現在の技術ではその改善が困難である。この理由から現状では生食用の冷凍野菜は流通していない。野菜類の凍結時に生じる細胞膜の損傷は、膨圧低下の原因となり、生鮮野菜の持つハリやシャキシャキとした食感が失われる大きな要因の一つと考えられている。本課題で得られた組織軟化の要因に関する知見は、食品の中でも冷凍適性が低いとされる冷凍野菜の品質改善に寄与すると考えられる。