Food Biotechnology
Module #69
Effects of heating on food
The purpose of heat
sterilisation is
• to extend the shelf life
of foods for storage at
ambient temperatures,
• while minimising the
changes in nutritional
value and eating
quality.
Effects of heating on food
Differences between the
D and z values of micro-
organisms, enzymes and
sensory or nutritional
components of foods are
exploited to optimise
processes for the
retention of nutritional
and sensory qualities
Effects of heating on food
COLOUR
• In meats the red
oxymyoglobin
pigment is
converted to brown
metmyoglobin, and
purplish myoglobin
is converted to red–
brown
myohaemichromoge
n
• Maillard browning
and caramelisation
also contribute to
the colour of
Effects of heating on food
COLOUR
• Chlorophyll is
converted to
pheophytin and
anthocyanins are
degraded to brown
pigments.
• Iron or tin react with
anthocyanins to form
a purple pigment, or
when colourless
leucoanthocyanins
form pink anthocyanin
in pears and quinces.
Effects of heating on food
COLOUR
• In sterilised milk
slight colour changes
are due to
caramelisation,
Maillard browning
and changes in the
reflectivity of casein
micelles.
Effects of heating on food
Flavor and Aroma
•In canned meats there
are complex changes,
like pyrolysis,
deamination and
decarboxylation of
amino acids,
degradation, Maillard
reactions and
caramelisation of
carbohydrates to furfural
and
hydroxymethylfurfural,
and oxidation and
decarboxylation of lipids.
Effects of heating on food
Flavor and Aroma
•In fruits and
vegetables, changes are
due to complex
reactions which involve
the degradation,
recombination and
volatilisation of
aldehydes, ketones,
sugars, lactones, amino
acids and organic acids
•Interactions between
these components
produce more than 600
flavour compounds in
Effects of heating on food
Flavour and Aroma
• In milk the
development of a
cooked flavour is due
to denaturation of
whey proteins to form
hydrogen sulphide
and the formation of
lactones and methyl
ketones from lipids.
• In aseptically
sterilised foods the
changes are better
retained.
Effects of heating on food
Texture or Viscosity
•In canned meats,
changes in texture are
caused by coagulation
and a loss of water
holding capacity of
proteins, which produces
shrinkage and stiffening
of muscle tissues.
•Softening is caused by
hydrolysis of collagen,
solubilisation of the
resulting gelatin, and
melting and dispersion
of fats through the
Effects of heating on food
Texture or Viscosity
• Polyphosphates are
added to increase
tenderness.
Effects of heating on food
Texture or Viscosity
• In fruits and
vegetables, softening
is caused by
hydrolysis of pectic
materials,
gelatinisation of
starches and partial
solubilisation of
hemicelluloses.
• Calcium salts added
increase the firmness
of the canned
products.
Effects of heating on food
Nutritional Value
•Canning causes the
hydrolysis of
carbohydrates and lipid
but the nutritional value
is not affected.
•Proteins are coagulated
and, in canned meats,
losses of amino acids are
10–20%.
•Negligible vitamin
losses in aseptically
processed milk and
lipids, carbohydrates
Effects of heating on food
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
• Nutrient losses also
occur during periods
of prolonged storage.
