Enzyme Inactivation Analyses for Industrial Blanching Applications Employing 2450 Mhz Monomode Microwave Cavities

Browning reactions in fruits and vegetables are recognized as a serious problem for the European food industry, particularly for the mushroom sector. The major enzyme responsible for the browning reaction is polyphenoloxidase (PPO). In this paper considerable reduction has been achieved in both the time and temperature required for complete microwave enzyme inactivation compared to conventional hot-water treatments, which can be translated into both increased benefits and enhanced quality products for the food industry. Furthermore, the short exposure time required for complete inactivation of aqueous solutions of PPO irradiated with microwaves within monomode cavities is very important to reduce the browning rate of mushroom extracts, and could lead to a much greater product profitability when treating whole processed mushrooms.