No abstract

Green peas of two different maturities were used to evaluate the influence of the glass transition temperature (Tg¢) and storage temperatures on quality loss during frozen storage. Young peas which have a lower tenderness rating (TR) value, possibly with less starch and higher sugar content than old peas, gave a lower Tg¢ value. Quality attributes, including green colour and vitamin C, were measured over time when the peas were stored at )5, )12, )20, )25 and )30°C, respectively. The results indicated that these qualities were maintained during frozen storage as long as the peas remained below or close to their Tg¢. The loss of quality at different storage temperatures is relative to the difference between the storage temperature and the Tg¢, where the bigger the difference, the greater the loss.