17D-8 |
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F. KOREL1, M. O. Balaban2, and S. Damar2. (1) Food Engineering Dept., Izmir Institute of Technology, Engineering Faculty, Gulbahce Campus, Urla, Izmir, 35437, Turkey, (2) Dept. of Food Science & Human Nutrition, Univ. of Florida, Food Engineering Pilot Plant, PO Box 110370, Gainesville, FL 32611-0370 Turkey was the third largest chestnut producer in the world in 2002. Chestnuts (C. sativa Mill.) are grown in the Aegean, Marmara and Black Sea regions. Popular products are boiled, roasted and candied chestnuts, marron glaces and chestnut purees. Chestnuts, unlike most other nuts, are low in protein and fat, but high in carbohydrate. Mineral composition of foods plays an important role in metabolism, and health. The objective of this study was to determine the compositional and mineral changes of candied chestnuts during processing using the ICP-AES technique. Raw, peeled chestnuts were immersed in water, 0.2% citric acid or 0.1% sodium meta-bisulphite solution for 1 hr, steamed at 105ºC for 45 min, and boiled with sugar solutions containing either 65% sucrose and 15% dextrose or 60% fructose and 20% dextrose for 30 min. Then the samples were put into containers with sugar solutions at room temperature for 48 hr. Moisture, protein, lipid and ash contents of the samples at each processing step were determined using AOAC methods. Carbohydrate content was calculated by subtraction. Mineral contents (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na and Zn) were measured using ICP-AES. Data were analyzed using SAS. The moisture (60.58%-21.29%), protein (2.33%-1.22%), lipid (1.30%-0.29%) and ash (2.46%-0.68%) ranges were determined. Steaming increased the moisture content. Dipping into sugar solution caused a decrease in moisture, protein, lipid and ash percentages. Carbohydrate contents were between 36.21 and 76.23%. Mineral contents were higher in raw samples and decreased during processing. From a nutritional point of view, candied chestnuts had lower mineral contents, but higher carbohydrates due to the sugar they contain.
Session 17D, Food Chemistry: Chemical effects of food processing and preservation
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