Effect of the Drying Method and Storage Conditions on the Quality and Content of Selected Bioactive Compounds of Green Legume Vegetables.

This study aimed to determine the effect of the drying method (freeze-drying, air-drying), storage period (12 months), and storage conditions (2-4 °C, 18-22 °C) applied to two legume species: green beans and green peas. The raw and dried materials were determined for selected physical parameters typical of dried vegetables, contents of bioactive components (vitamin C and E, total chlorophyll, total carotenoids, ß-carotene, and total polyphenols), antioxidative activity against the DPPH radical, and sensory attributes (overall quality and profiles of color, texture, and palatability). Green beans had a significantly higher content of bioactive components compared to peas. Freeze-drying and cold storage conditions facilitated better retention of these compounds, i.e., by 9-39% and 3-11%, respectively. After 12 months of storage, higher retention of bioactive components, except for total chlorophyll, was determined in peas regardless of the drying method, i.e., by 38-75% in the freeze-dried product and 30-77% in the air-dried product, compared to the raw material.

The Effect of Crataegus Fruit Pre-Treatment and Preservation Methods on the Extractability of Aroma Compounds during Liqueur Production.

The leaves, inflorescences, and fruits of hawthorn have long been known for their therapeutic properties. A wide range of hawthorn products, including liqueurs, are manufactured, due to the technological potential of the raw material as well as the richness of its volatile compounds. This study aimed to determine the effect of the liqueur production method and various methods of fruit preservation on the quantitative and qualitative composition of volatile compounds in the liqueurs produced. Hawthorn fruits saturated with sucrose and non-saturated with sucrose, fresh or preserved through one of three methods: freezing, air-drying, and freeze-drying, were used for liqueur preparation. The samples were analyzed using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. They were found to contain 54 volatile compounds classified into 12 groups of chemicals. All 54 identified volatile compounds were detected in the liqueur made from hawthorn fruits non-saturated with sucrose and preserved by freeze-drying. In this liqueur type, 12 of the identified volatile compounds occurred in the highest concentration when compared to the other treatments. Among all volatiles, the following compounds were present in the analyzed liqueurs in the highest concentrations: dodecanoic acid ethyl ester (11.782 g/100 g), lactones (6.954 g/100 g), five monoterpenes (3.18 g/100 g), two aromatic hydrocarbons (1.293 g/100 g), isobensofuran (0.67 g/100 g), alcohol-2-methyl-2-propanol (0.059 g/100 g), and malonic ester (0.055 g/100 g). Among all analyzed liqueurs, the one made from the fruits non-saturated with sucrose and frozen was characterized by the smallest diversity of volatiles, which were present in the lowest concentrations in that liqueur.