Investigating the Effect of Pulsed Electric Field Parameters on the Quality of Processed Mango Pickling
Abstract
Pulsed electric field (PEF) is a non-thermal process which is applied widely in various food processing methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the synergistic effect of the developed PEF parameters, including pulse strength, pulse frequency, and pulse number, on the changes to sweet pickled Thai mango quality, including changes in moisture content, water activity, color, texture, and mass transfer. A 2 × 2 × 5 factorial experiment in a completely randomized design was used. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the main effects of the investigated parameters and their interaction were mostly significant. Application of PEF at 3 kV/cm, 1 Hz, and 500 pulses significantly improved water reduction, weight loss, and solid gains by 2 times, as well as the beta-carotene content (52.56 µg/100g) of sweet pickled mango, when compared to fresh and conventionally pickled mangoes. This finding suggests that combining PEF and osmotic dehydration could be an effective process for producing sweet pickled mango. The effect of combining PEF parameters and osmotic dehydration is advantageous for improving osmotic efficiency while retaining the phytochemical compounds of mango.