Blanching: A sustainable and effective treatment for extending shelf life of bamboo shoots

Abstract

Bamboo shoots are widely consumed in fresh, fermented, canned and dried forms in various parts of the world. They are not just a good source of antioxidants and phytonutrients but also possess medicinal properties. However, as they are highly perishable, physiological changes such as browning and lignification lead to deterioration affecting the commercial value of the product. Therefore, in this study, bamboo shoots were subjected to water and steam blanching, as a heat treatment for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 min at 100 °C and then immediately cooled in ice water for 2 min. The treated and control samples were analysed for the presence of enzymes PAL, POD, PPO, phenolic content and MDA and see the changes in the color of the bamboo shoot. The results of the study showed there is a reduction in enzymes like Peroxidase (POD), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenolic content which inhibit lignifications process. There was an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content suggesting lipid peroxidation with both types of blanching. Steam blanching was found to have a more significant (p < 0.05) effect to preserve the freshness of the bamboo shoots and prolongs the shelf life of the product by inactivating enzyme activity.

Keywords

• Bamboo shoot
• Blanching
• Shelf life
• Enzyme activity