w:- N r O S'IGNIIE ~ I) [-0 5 :xj F PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON PROCESSING OF FROZEN PACK GREEN ASPARAGUS '1 Thesis {or the Degree of M. :. MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE CIarc H. RundIe I939 \.. 3 ‘ v. 3‘... m. . .4 I .- .y fix.” ... .,..y ,3. ... a... . 3. 333... 3a. sin»... . . . . 6 I .. ...3 3 . .. ,. .,. . .. v. . .3 ). .... III I III I I II I I I I I I I III I II I I I I IIIIIIIII 31 JII'I‘IW OVERDUE FINES: 25¢ per dey per ite- RETUINIIG LIBRARY MATERIALS: Piece in book return to renove charge from circulation records PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON PROCESSING OF FROZEN PACK GREEN ASPARAGUS Thesis Submitted to the faculty of the Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Sci- ence in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science by Clare H. Bundle 1959 TREK“; II III IV VI VII VIII PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON PROCESSING OF FROZEN PACK GREEN ASPARAGUS Table of Contents I Introduction Review of Literature Materials and Methods Presentation of Data Discussion Summary Bibliography Acknowledgements 121490 Page 12 15 18 19 25 Introduction The consumption of fresh, canned and frozen green vegetables has increased markedly in the United States during the past decade. This is particularly true with asparagus where a decided shift from the bleached or white to the more nutritious green asparagus has taken place. In 1958, 112,800 acres of asparagus were harvested in the United States, which was nearly 4000 acres more than was harvested in 1957, and 10,000 acres more than the average for the 1927 to 1956 period (4). The increase in acreage in Michigan is even more striking than the totals for the entire country. In 1921 only 1000 acres were reported for the state, but by 1958 the acreage of bearing asparagus had increased to 2100 acres (4). This increase in production of asparagus has not lead to a marked increase in the consumption of fresh asparagus. According to figures released by the United States Department of Commerce, the per capita consumption of canned asparagus increased from 0.48 pounds in 1922 to 0.90 pounds in 1927. The per capita consumption of fresh asparagus increased only from 0.40 pounds in 1922 to 0.70 pounds in 1927. Much of this increase has been in the production of frozen pack asparagus. In 1957, 6,259,474 pounds of asparagus were frozen, of which 1,087,724 pounds were packed in the western states and 5,171,750 pounds in the eastern states (5). This would indicate the trend toward freezing green asparagus rather than white. In the future it is reasonable to expect a great deal more asparagus will be processed in this manner. Commercial methods for processing fruits have been more or less standardized. This in general is not true with vegetables and particularly asparagus, which, due to its high water and protein content, presents some of the most difficult problems -2; in freezing preservation of all the vegetables frozen packed. This undoubtedly accounts for some of the undesirable packs of frozen pack asparagus on the market. With the rapid rise of the locker-storage movement in the middle western states and the possibilities of small home freezing units in the future.it is reasonable to expect a demand for authentic process- ing directions for the locker patrons and the users of small home equipment. The purpose of this investigation is to determine methods of blanching, packing, freezing, storing and the selection of suitable containers for the production of a satisfactory frozen pack green asparagus. - 5 _ Review of Literature A number of investigations have been reported on methods for freezing preservation of green asparagus and closely associated problems. Cruess (10) states that all of the leading varieties are apparently about equal in suitability for freezing storage for the principal varieties vary little in flavor or texture. Crist and Dye (9) found green asparagus, whether fed fresh, freshly cooked, or canned, where fed in proper amounts, contains sufficient vitamin A to give healthy grown in albino rats. This was not true in the case of bleached asparagus. They concluded from their experiments that the vitamin A content of plant tissue is associated with its greenness. Culpepper and Moon (11) in their investigations found that the canned product was richer and more pleasing to the taste at the tip than at any point below. The flavor and richness did not vary greatly at the tip in stalks of differing heights, but there was considerable variation at the base. They also determined that in stalks 4, 8, 18, and 56 inches tall, the amount of material per stalk which would make a desirable food product appeared to be greatest in the 18 inch stalks. Cruess (10) comments on the fact that asparagus collapses markedly on freezing and thawing and, therefore, is not particularly attractive in appearance. If quick—frozen, it differs but slightly after cooking from cooked fresh asparagus in flavor, color, appearance, or firmness. Joslyn and Marsh (25) found blanched vegetables, as a rule, increase in weight upon thawing if frozen in brine. The weight increased with increase in the rate of freezing. Unblanched as well as blanched vegetables, packed without brine, decreased in weight. They also noted - 4 _ that blanching the asparagus had but little effect on the rate of temperature change, whether packed without liquid, plain, or in brine. They also found that, of the vegetables tested, loss in weight (due to blanching) was greatest for asparagus. Joslyn (21) in other investigations found the drained weights of vegetables depend upon the kind of vegetable and the packing treatment. Loss in weight was greatest for asparagus and spinach. His experiments showed an increase in the loss of weight due to blanching and that blanching in acid tends to toughen vegetables. Cruess (10) suggests that since steam removes less of the water soluble materials than does water, possibly it should be recommended in preference to boiling water for vegetables to be packed without liquid. Plagge (29) recommends blanching asparagus in boiling water for two minutes, Wiegand (55) two to three minutes in boiling water, and Tressler and Evers (52) suggests that asparagus be scalded in boiling water for two to three minutes. Carlton (8) recommends blanching in boiling water, small stalks three and one-half minutes, large stalks four and one-half minutes. The above investigators did not give any data supporting their recommendations. Cruess (10) says there is slightly less shrinkage of the asparagus packed in a two per cent salt brine, and that there is practically no difference in appearance or texture between the dry-packed and brine- packed products-after cooking the thawed products. Investigations of Joslyn and Marsh (25) showed that the addition of brine to vegetables, to be preserved by freezing, markedly decreased the degree of breakdown in texture. Wiegand (55) reported that vacuumizing was not necessary in all cases, especially where syrups or brines were used in connection with the packing of the fruit or vegetable. Tressler and Evers (52) _ 5 - citing Diehl, Pentzer, Berry and Asbury, say that airtight or non— airtight containers may be used with brine pack, but the former is preferred. However, with dry pack, airtight containers are desired. The use of unlacquered metal containers is feasible, but asparagus sometimes darkens, due apparently to the rusted condition of the cans caused by concentration of the brine in freezing. Also there is evidence that darkening may arise from other causes in the field. Cruess (10) reports that asparagus sometimes absorbs off flavors and deteriorates in flavor in loose containers, and recommends that air— tight containers be used. Carlton (8) also states a preference for airtight containers and suggests that where tin containers are used they be lacquer lined. He also preferred straight side wall containers for the easy removal of the frozen products. Joslyn and Marsh (25) found, with the possible exception of asparagus, increasing the rate of freezing by using solid carbon dioxide does not appreciably improve the texture of frozen fruits and vegetables which they examined. Woodroof (54), (55) found that fruits and vegetables frozen quickly have a firmer texture after thawing than the same product frozen more slowly. This desired type of freezing was found to be most economically carried out by the "immersion” method of freezing. He also found that very low temperatures (--1050 F.) produced objectionable effects. such as alteration in colors. Diehl (1) reports that temperatures nearing -100 F. or lower are unnecessary for satisfactory commercial preservation of most fruits and vegetables. He found some exceptions to this rule, with asparagus, the fresh quality of which seemed to be best retained by rapid freezing at—20o F. or below. Morris and Barker (28) also found - 5 _ that rapid freezing at-20° F. was helpful in the production of a satisfactory asparagus product. Diehl and Berry (15) working on freezing of fruits and vegetables found that,when packed in brine and frozen at -20° F. or below, asparagus kept its fresh flavor, color, and appearance more nearly intact. Fellers, Young, Isham and Clague (17) state that, "Freezing of asparagus dees not cause a loss in the vitamin C content." Fitzgerald (20) says, and Barker and Morris in England state, that freezing affected the permeability of both asparagus and peas, so that solutes leached into the cooking water more readily than from fresh unfrozen vegetables; this increase of permeability was greater the slower the rate of freezing. Fellers, Esselen and Fitzgerald (15) found quick-frozen vegetables to retain a slightly higher percent- age of vitamin B, and 132 (G) than canned vegetables, although both types of food products are good sources of these two water-soluble vitamins. Diehl and Berry (15) reported a temperature of 15° F. seemed to be the upper limit and most suitable for storing frozen products. They found that a storage temperature of 20° F. might be unsuitable from a physiological rather than a microbiological standpoint. Carlton (8) states vegetables stored at 10° F. have shown a loss in vitamin 0, increasing rapidly at 15° F. The deterioration is attended by a loss of color. Investigators (1) found as a result of tests that for most horticultural products, 15° F. or below is best for long-time storage. - 7 - Materials and Methods Asparagus of the Mary Washington variety grown on the Experiment Station plots at East Lansing, Michigan, was used throughout the experi- ment, This l2+year old bed is being carried on as a fertilizer experi— ment, this being the ninth crop harvested. The bed is located on soil ranging from sandy loam to a clay loam. The asparagus was taken from cuttings beginning May 19th and extending through June 14th. Only tip cuts were used, varying in length (none exceeding six inches) to fit the type of container. A11 asparagus used conformed to U. S. No. 1 grade ranging from three-eighths to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. The asparagus was out early in the morning, graded immediately and washed in four to six changes of tap water, depending on the amount of sand adhering to the stalks. The leaf scales were removed from the first few lots but this proved impractical and detracted from the appearance of the product. After washing, the asparagus was placed in a muslin sugar sack liner and submerged in an enamel lined tub of hot (1800 F.) water for five minutes, excepting those lots in which the blanching temperature and time was varied. The tub was of sufficient capacity (15 gals.) to maintain a temperature within one degree. This limited variation was maintained by regulating the flow of live steam into the water through a steam jet. After blanching, the asparagus was submerged quickly in running tap water for 10 minutes which reduced the temperature to 55° - 57° F. After draining, the asparagus was packed, butts first, into No. 2 C-enamel lined tin cans, except those lots in which the types of containers were varied. Two per cent (by weight) salt solution - 3 _ (cooled to 56°-40° F.) was added to cover the asparagus with the exception of those lots in which the packing method was varied. Head space, one-ninth of the volume of the container, was left to provide for expansion during freezing. The cans were sealed airtight in a hand sealing machine. The samples were frozen in a General Electric commercial condensing unit, type CM (ice cream storage cabinets) at -20° F. for six to eight hours. Those lots used in determining suitable freezing temperatures were subjected to different temperatures. The ice cream cabinets used were of sufficient capacity (20 gals.) to accommodate the rate of heat transfer from the small number of lots put in the cabinet at any one time. The frozen product was then placed in a cold storage room at 0° F. until sampling. Those lots used in storage temperature investigations were held at various temperatures in the ice cream cabinets. Cooking tests were made on all lots at the end of four months and again at eight months. Samples for the cooking tests were taken from the 0° F. storage and placed in ordinary cold storage, at 40° F., 48 hours before cooking. The samples were taken to the cooking laboratory and given a standard cook by a competent technician. A color chart reading was made on each lot before cooking, using "A Dictionary of Color" by Merz and Paul as a color guide. The thawed asparagus was drained, a 500-gram sample taken and placed in five cups of boiling water to which was added six grams of salt and the whole allowed to cook seven minutes, after coming to a boil. No lid was used on the three- quart white enamel sauce pan. At the end of seven minutes the asparagus was drained and samples were placed before a panel of five Judges. The judges scored each lot according to the score sheet found on the following - 9 - page. Processing treatment of each lot was unknown to the judges and, after a first practice sampling, no discussion or comparison of ideas was permitted . The judges’ scores for each factor were totalled and averaged, the sample receiving the highest numerical score, under the column "General Rating", being given first preference as described in the presentation of data in the following section. This experiment was divided into six divisions, each varying in one ’treatment; otherwise, each lot was handled as has already been desired.z Data will be presented according to the treatments listed. I. 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HHooH own" _ 14 - Results of Different Types of Packs in Various Types of Containers: In these investigations asparagus packed in two per cent salt brine was much superior to asparagus soaked one—half hour in two per cent salt brine and then packed dry, or than that packed dry without any previous flavoring. This is evident by the general ratings given in Tables IV, V and VI. The flavor of brine pack proved to be much superior to the other packs, including the commercially frozen and canned lots. It is evident that when a brine pack is used the effects of various types of containers are reduced markedly. Unwaxed paper containers when filled with brine did not furnish a desirable type of carton, due to soaking of the paper, resulting in a lack of support. Paper containers with snap covers did not prove satisfactory when brine was used, as the expansion due to freezing stretched the side walls and loosened the Covers. 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