44F-28 |
Sensory attributes of microwave sterilized macaroni and cheese |
D. GUAN1, V. Fernandez-Plotka2, S. Clark2, J. Tang1, F. Younce1, and M. H. Lau1. (1) Biological Systems Engineering Dept., Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164-6120, (2) Food Science & Human Nutrition Dept., Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164-6376 Many heat sensitive products made by conventional thermal treatments often result in considerable and unacceptable changes in the quality of the food. Developed to reduce adverse thermal degradation for liquid foods, high-temperature-short-time (HTST) processing is limited to be used for solid foods because of slow heat conduction. The benefits of microwave sterilization are derived from rapid heating by direct interaction between microwaves and foods that are hermetically sealed in microwave transparent pouches or trays. Compared with conventional thermally processed foods, microwave sterilization could potentially improve organoleptic quality, appearance and nutritional value. The objectives were to select appropriate sauce formulations for macaroni and cheese that are suitable for microwave sterilization and compare the products processed by both microwave sterilization and conventional retorting. A pilot-scale 915 MHz microwave system developed at Washington State University was used to sterilize precooked and prepackaged macaroni and cheese. An appropriate sauce formulation and precooking time were selected to yield the best texture and integrity of the macaroni noodle. A consumer panel determined the acceptability of microwave and conventionally processed products. A trained descriptive panel provided information about the effects of microwave sterilization on different product attributes. Physical properties, such as color and texture, were assessed. The microwave system could provide desired sterility within 1/3 of the time required for conventional retorting. Microwave sterilized products maintained the integrity of the noodle and the natural cheese flavor, whereas the conventionally retorted products lost much of the texture and had a burnt off-flavor. The sensory evaluation identified microwave-sterilized macaroni and cheese as acceptable. This research demonstrated the advantage of microwave sterilization in providing superior quality in shelf-stable macaroni and cheese products. It would be possible that the technology could be used to produce other high quality shelf-stable products that may be heat sensitive.
Session 44F, Product Development
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