Cell Wall Characteristics and Firmness of Fresh Pack Cucumber Pickles Affected by Pasteurization and Calcium Chloride

Abstract

Changes in cell wall pectic substances, degree of pectin methylation, bound Ca++, neutral sugar composition, and firmness were determined in mesocarp tissue of pasteurized and nonpasteurized fresh pack cucumber pickles. Large changes in solubility characteristics of pectic substances occurred in cell walls of nonpasteurized pickles that were attenuated by pasteurization. In particular, water and alkali soluble pectins declined, and nonextractable pectins increased during the first month of storage. The major changes in pectic substance solubility appeared to be related to reductions in the degree of pectin methylation with a minor influence of CaCl2. Galactose in cell walls of nonpasteurized pickles was substantially reduced, and the reduction in galactose was hindered by CaCl2 or pasteurization. The amount of bound Ca++ appeared to be associated with tissue firmness after one month in storage, since firmer tissue had more cell wall bound Ca++. While firmness was associated with the amount of bound Ca++, the amount of bound Ca++ was dependent on the supply of Ca++ and the degree of pectin methylation.

Molecular Weight and Ionic Characteristics of Olive Cell Wall Polysaccharides during Processing

“…This would explain why the OSF increased because of lye treatment and why its degree of esterification decreased greatly. An increase in OSF has also been observed in pickled cucumbers (Howard and Buescher, 1990), this being caused by enzymatic activity as well as low pH values. The new pectic polymers that are extracted have a similar degree of branching but may have longer side chains, since the average Rha/ Ara ratio from PF was higher than those from UF.…”

Effect of calcium additives on physicochemical aspects of cell wall pectin and sensory attributes of canned peach (Prunus persica (L) Batsch cv Andross)

“…Calcium chloride has been widely used to improve or maintain textural attributes of either whole fresh fruits, including peach, 1 or sliced fruits, 2 and it is commonly used on an industrial scale as a firming agent during the canning process of many products. 3,4 Although beneficial for product texture, calcium chloride has been found to impart flavour differences. 5 Calcium lactate and calcium propionate are food additives which offer alternative calcium sources.…”

Cell Wall Monosaccharide Changes During Softening of Brined Cucumber Mesocarp Tissue

“…Fuchigami (1987b) and Buescher, 1990;Tang andMcFeeters, 1983), carrots (Plat et al, 1988) and bamboo shoots (Fuchigami, 1990).…”

“…Howard and Buescher (1990) also isolated cell walls by ethanol extraction and analyzed neutral sugars by GLC after Saeman hydrolysis. They reported a loss of galactose from cell walls during storage of unpasteurized cucumbers in acid brines similar to that reported by Gross and Wang (1984) during air storage, but the change did not correlate with texture change, which was relatively small.…”