Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2005. / Includes bibliography.

Preservation of food by freezing is a common method of processing. Of relatively recent origin is the freeze-drying method. This method has several advantages over other methods of preservation, but is not free of problems, one of which is the maintenance of appearance and texture. In the present study, the effects of freezing, thawing, freeze-drying, and reconstitution on the physico-chemical properties of Northwest variety strawberries with particular reference to textural characteristics were investigated. Very little prior work is reported with regards to the effect of these factors on fruits. Strawberries were frozen at two different rates of freezing - slow frozen at 0°F and quick frozen in a blast freezer at -20°F. Frozen berries were examined by physical and chemical methods to evaluate the changes. In a separate study, berries were thawed under standard conditions of relative humidity and temperature and the drip collected for analysis. Thawed berries were examined by both physical and chemical methods. To study the reconstitution behaviour of the berries, they were freeze-dried and reconstituted under standard conditions of berry to water ratio, temperature of water and time of reconstitution. Reconstituted berries and the remaining solutions were then examined. Measurements of the texture, color, total solids, alcohol insoluble solids, pectins, cellulose, ash, and constituents of ash were made on raw, frozen, thawed, and reconstituted berries. The results indicated the following conclusions: 1. An increase in percent soluble solids, pH, and titratable acids and a decrease in total solids and AIS of the berries were observed upon freezing. Slow frozen berries showed more pronounced effects. Smaller berries were observed to change the least. No significant differences were found in the other constituents. 2. Strawberries lose weight upon thawing depending on the chemical composition of the berries. An inverse relationship was observed between weight loss and total solids, AIS, pectic substances, cellulose, ash and mineral content of the berries. With gradual increase in the weight loss upon thawing, there was a progressive softening of the berries. A direct relationship was found between weight loss and the amount of pectic substances, sugars, titratable acids, ash, and minerals found in the drip. Slow freezing resulted in higher weight loss and smaller berries lost the least. 3. A linear relationship exists between weight loss of the berries upon thawing and the area of the drip. This method offers a convenient and quick procedure for evaluation of the quality of frozen strawberries, with the added advantage of collecting the drip and storing it for further analysis at a convenient time. 4. Ability to reconstitute was found to be related to rate of freezing and size of berry. Quick freezing and smaller berries gave the best results. 5. Direct relationship was found between the degree of reconstitution and total solids, AIS, pectic substances, cellulose, ash, and minerals. The amount of pectic substances, sugar, titratable acids, ash, and minerals leaching out of the berries into the reconstituting solution were smaller and were independent of the degree of reconstitution. 6. Individual berries showed a large variation in their chemical constituents, which was responsible for the differences in the thawing and reconstitution behavior of Northwest strawberries. / Graduation date: 1967

Graduation date: 1941

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1965. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: l. 57-60.

Thesis. 1976. M.S.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Nutrition and Food Science. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Science. / Bibliography: leaves 121-127. / M.S.

No description available.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctrate Degree in Technology: Food Technology - Durban University of Technology, 2013. / A pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) based instant beverage powder (PMIBP) was prepared from two different varieties of pearl millet (Agrigreen (AgG) and Babala (Ba)) by a combination of malting and extrusion cooking. The millet grains were germinated (30oC and 98% RH for 36 h), kilned (50oC for 48 h), cooled to room temperature, ground and stored in a chiller at 5oC until used. The raw and malted pearl millet grains were extruded under different parameters to accommodate the types of pre-treatment applied to the pearl millets. Combination processing of the pearl millet grain was achieved by extrusion of malted pearl millet of both varieties individually, and as a mixture of raw and malted pearl millet (50:50). The effect of the processing methods on the physical, functional, nutritional and biochemical properties of the raw and processed pearl millets varieties were evaluated. Combination processing led to a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in total fat and total dietary fibre (TDF) (3.85 and 22.99 g/100 g, respectively) content of AgriGreen (AgG) extruded malted pearl millet (EMPM); a decrease in TDF (18.12 g/100 g) content of AgG extruded raw pearl millet-malted pearl millet mix (ERPMMPM). Combination processing led to a decrease in ash, total fat, total dietary fibre, Fe and Zn (1.76, 3.48, 14.26 g/100 g, 7.78 and 4.74 mg/100 g, respectively) content of Babala (Ba) EMPM. It also led to a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in ash, total fat, TDF, Fe and Zn (1.88, 4.22, 21.71 g/100 g, 7.24 and 4.14 mg/100 g, respectively) content of Ba ERPMMPM. Regardless of the pearl millet variety, malting led to a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in moisture, total, saturated, mono- and polyunsaturated fats, total dietary fibre iron, zinc and protein digestibility; a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in total carbohydrates, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity (TEAC) and water solubility index. Extrusion however, led to a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in total dietary fibre, zinc, total phenolic content and protein digestibility; a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in ash, total, saturated and monounsaturated fats, total carbohydrates, iron, starch digestibility water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI). The beverages of 10% total solids (8% pearl millet + 2% sugar for taste) prepared from the processed pearl millet were offered to an untrained consumer panel consisting of students and staff of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, under similar sets of conditions in a sensory evaluation room at the Food Technology Department. The following characteristics of the products were rated and scored on a 9-point hedonic scale (1 – like extremely and 9 – dislike extremely): appearance, colour, aroma, flavour, mouth-feel and overall acceptability. In general, Ba RPM was rated 4 - like slightly, and AgG malted pearl millet (MPM) was rated 6 - dislike slightly and all other pearl millet samples from both varieties were rated 5 - neither like nor dislike.

The motivation of the research presented in this thesis was to investigate the potential of using a commercial 2.3 kW heat pump dehumidifier (HPD) simultaneously as a dryer for high-moisture agricultural products and for other domestic dehumidification/heating applications. A drying system incorporating the HPD was designed and constructed, along with instrumentation to gather data on the properties of process air as well as real-time weight of the material being dried. The HPD was equipped with an external water-cooled condenser that rejected excess heat out of the system. The design of the system allowed for conducting drying with recirculation of air as well as use of electrical heaters. In an open mode, the drying could be carried out simultaneously with room dehumidification and water heating in the secondary condenser. / The drying experiments were conducted with apple, tomato and agar gels. The system was found to be more effective in drying of material with higher amount of free moisture such as tomato. Comparisons were made between HPD assisted drying (partial and complete) and hot air drying (at 45°C and 65°C) in the same system using apple as the test material. Colour changes (L*a*b* values) in the samples were compared between treatments. It was observed that the degree of undesirable colour change was least in case of the HPD assisted system. The HPD dried fruit exhibited better rehydration properties than the hot air dried samples. Water activity of the HPD dried samples was noticeably lower than that of the hot air dried samples at the same water content, indicating that the residual moisture was probably held under higher tension. Histological observation indicated that there was a lesser degree of damage to the cellular structure of apple when dried with the HPD than when dried with hot air alone. / In terms of energy consumption, the process of HPD assisted drying is more expensive. Much of the energy input is rejected at the secondary condenser as excess heat. Unless this heat is recovered for another purpose, or the system is modified to reuse it for drying, the drying process must carry this loss entirely. The specific moisture extraction rate (SMER) for apple was as low as 0.1 kg per kWh with the HPD assisted system. The SMER values for drying at 45°C was 0.5 kg per kWh and was almost 0.8 kg per kWh at 65°C. / The HPD assisted drying system demonstrated the ability of heat pumps to link different energy related activities viz., drying, space dehumidification and water heating. The energy expenditure is expected to be impressive when considered for all the related applications. The concept of utilizing heat pumps on farms to link up different energy streams for better utilization of the low-grade heat sources is discussed. A possible drying efficiency assessment in the form of energy-based evaluation is proposed.

Graduation date: 1949