Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inulin incorporation and three different freezing treatments (static, air blast, and individual quick frozen; IQF) on some quality characteristics of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.). Frozen foodstuffs expose undesired changes during storage, such as enzyme activity, and after thawing, such as drip loss. To overcome such issues, inulin, which is known for its cryoprotectant attributes, was added to sour cherry samples by an ultrasound-assisted vacuum impregnation method prior to different freezing treatments. Inulin addition decreased the drip loss (13–18%) in all sample groups, while the pectin methylesterase activity was reduced in samples frozen by air blast and IQF methods. On the other hand, gradual reductions were observed in the total phenolic and monomeric anthocyanin contents, along with antioxidant capacities, by the DPPH and ABTS methods compared to the control groups, except for sour cherry samples subjected to air blast freezing. Among freezing techniques, IQF outshined others yielding conserved nutritional and quality characteristics. The results of this study indicate that inulin can be utilized to maintain or improve the quality characteristics of frozen foods. In conclusion, rapid freezing technologies such as IQF may enable the prevention of several problems widely encountered in frozen sour cherry fruits.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, A.G. and F.M.Y.; methodology, A.G. and F.M.Y.; validation, A.G. and F.M.Y.; formal analysis, A.G. and F.M.Y.; investigation, A.G. and F.M.Y.; writing—original draft preparation, A.G. and F.M.Y.; writing—review and editing, A.G. and F.M.Y.; project administration, F.M.Y. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This research was funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) with grant number 120O772.
Institutional Review Board Statement
Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement
Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement
The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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