Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
respectively, by both experiment and prediction model. The simulation using CFD
can be easily adapted to other elementary shapes, operating conditions of the cook-
chill production chain.
7.6.2.11
Effect on Texture and Nutrition
Cooking can have a dramatic effect on the texture of food depending on the cooking
temperature, food material structure/composition/condition and method of cooking.
The cook-chill process produced more soft cooked dry peas than sous-vide cooking
due to the higher temperature of cook-chill processing. This improvement is due to
moisture uptake (Xie
2000
). MAP cook-chilled Korean traditional rice cakes scored
signifi cantly higher than LDPE packaging after 50 days of storage at 3 °C (Lee et al.
2011
). Sous-vide processing reduced stem broccoli texture (softening %) by
54-58 % (i.e. a pleasant and moderate softening level). It was one of the treatments
(as well as grilling and steaming compared to vacuum boiling, conventional boiling,
pressure cooking, and microwaving) that induced the lowest stem colour changes
(Martínez-Hernández et al.
2013
).
While sous-vide processing decreased the total folate contents in potato and
broccoli by 20.9 and 16.5 %, respectively, total folate content was increased by
4.9 % in sous-vide processed, cooled and reheated potato (Stea et al.
2006
).
However, other ingredients are used during the assembly of the meals, thus new
nutrient profi les may arise. Shakila et al. (
2012
) reported the reduction of saturated
fatty acids and an increase in the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the case of sous-vide
processing of fi sh curry. While the observed changes are likely to be related to the
inclusion of other ingredients, it demonstrated the ability of the technology to
manipulate the nutritional composition favourably. The total antioxidant capacity of
broccoli was increased by sous-vide, microwaving and frying compared to steam-
ing, pressure cooking, and conventional boiling as well as in the raw state (Martínez-
Hernández et al.
2013
).
7.7
Conclusion
Refrigerated cook-chill foods deliver convenience and safety with retention of
nutritional content. The quickly prepared meals are needed for families and indi-
viduals depending on their life style. The good safety track record of cook-freeze
and sous-vide food products has created a trust. These are considered very accept-
able and are seen as a better alternative for branded fast food. Appropriate process-
ing conditions for microbiological safe cook-chill products are relatively established
for many products. Challenges that require future research are: (1) optimizing the
sensory quality of the food, and (2) developing a wide range of menus so that these
can match cook-serve options. These products are appealing, however strict han-
dling conditions need to be implemented.
