Effect of blanching and sulfite treatment on the quality of frozen cauliflower.

The influence of blanching time and post-blanching sulfite treatment on the
sensory quality and texture of frozen caulijlower were assessed after storage at
- 18°C for up to one year. The treated caulijlowerfiorets, sealed in polyethylene
bags, were placed in waxed paperboard cartons and frozen in a contact plate
freezer at -35°C. Samples blanched for 3 min and dipped in a solution containing
1000 ppm of SOz for 5 rnin gave a signijicantly (p<0.05) superior product
even when stored for one year. The residual SO2 content of 50 ppm found in
these stored samples disappeared after a 3 min cooking in boiling water. Caulijlower
texture was influenced by blanching time but the textural differences of
blanched samples diminished following freezing and storage. After a 3 rnin
cooking, the texture of all thawed samples were comparable to that of fresh
cauliflower cooked for 10-12 min.