Published in Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XXIX, Issue 2
Written by Elisabeta Elena POPA, Mihaela GEICU-CRISTEA, Amalia-Carmen MITELUŢ, Mihaela DRAGHICI, Paul Alexandru POPESCU, Ion NIŢU, Roxana Elena ALECU, Mona Elena POPA
Recently, the consumer demand has increased in respect to minimally processed food, with health-promoting values and desirable sensory attributes. Fruit and vegetables are characterised by a multitude of health benefits, including their low calorie content, high dietary fibre content, and abundance of nutritional components, such as vitamins and minerals. They are considered essential components of a human diet. Vacuum impregnation (VI) combined with drying could be an interesting alternative to obtain a wide range of natural functional products. Vacuum impregnation is a technique that uses pressure gradients to incorporate functional active components into the structural matrix of porous fruits and vegetables without substantially modifying the organoleptic properties. Therefore, the aim of this study is to present the mechanism of action and recent application of vacuum impregnation in fruits and vegetables. The results show great functional properties of minimally processed fruits and vegetables following the application of vacuum impregnation technology.
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