The effects of cooking on the texture of vegetables as food colloids and its application to a cook-chill system

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K02408
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 08030:Family and consumer sciences, and culture and living-related
• Research Institution: Prefectural University of Hiroshima
• Principal Investigator: SUGIYAMA Sumi 県立広島大学, 地域創生学部, 教授 (10300419)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 野菜 / 加熱 / 体積 / ペクチン / 軟化 / ナトリウム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study aimed to determine the volume, moisture content, and water-soluble pectin content of cooked vegetables during the cooking, storage, and re-heating process and to identify the factors contributing to the changes in palatability. The results showed that both the weight and moisture content of cooked vegetables decreased during cooking, increased during storage, and decreased during re-heating; however, the volume of cooked vegetables did not increase during storage. Furthermore, when salt-containing seasoning solutions were used in the cooking process, during storage, there was an increase in sodium content within the vegetable, a decrease in rupture stress, and an increase in soluble pectin content. These findings suggested that during storage, the heated solution flowed into the extracellular space, where the penetration of sodium promoted softening. And the increase in weight without any increase in volume may have been caused by the compression of adjacent cells.

Free Research Field

調理科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の目的は，加熱野菜のおいしさが変化するメカニズムを解明し，クックチルシステムや真空調理法にそのメカニズムを展開することである。本研究の結果，加熱野菜の保存過程において，ペクチンの可溶化やテクスチャー変化が生じていることが明らかとなり，また，野菜へ浸透するNa量を減少させることや，野菜からのペクチンの溶出を抑制することで，加熱後の状態を維持できることが示唆された。本研究は，給食施設等のみでなく，家庭においても加熱調理後に保存した料理を食する機会が多くなっている中で，加熱野菜のおいしさの変化要因を構造変化から明らかとしたものであり，応用可能な調理科学研究である。