Rodrigues S., Fernandes F.A.N. (Eds.) Advances in Fruit Processing Technologies

CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2012. — 439 p.Fruits are major food products and key ingredients in many processed foods. They are a rich source of vital nutrients and constitute an important component of human nutrition. Consumers nowadays are more aware of the importance of healthy foods and require food products with high nutritional value along with high standards of sensory characteristics. Thus, fruit processing has to preserve the nutritional value of the fruit, while also preserving its natural color and flavor. This book reviews new advances in fruit-processing technologies.
Fruits are highly perishable, and about 20%–40% of the fruits produced are wasted from the time of harvesting till they reach the consumers, either in natural form or in processed form. To reduce fruit loss and improve final sensory characteristics of processed fruits, new or improved technologies have been applied to fruit processing.
This book reviews new technologies, such as ozone application, ultrasound processing, irradiation application, pulsed electric field, vacuum frying, and high-pressure processing, and improved technologies, such as ultraviolet and membrane processing, enzymatic maceration, freeze concentration, and refrigeration.
The effect of processing on sensory characteristics and nutritional value is addressed in each chapter. New trends in modified atmosphere packaging, effects of processing on aroma, and the use of fruit juices as a vehicle for probiotic microorganisms and prebiotic oligosaccharides as an alternative for dairy products are alsocovered in this book.