Residual peroxidase activity as influenced by blanching, SO2 treatment and freezing of cauliflowers.

The influence of blanching time and SO2 treatment on the residuul peroxidase
activity and its implicution for the sensory quality of frozen cauliflowers were
assessed ajier storage for up to one year at - 18°C. The treated cauliflowers,
sealed in polythene bags, were placed in waxed paperboard cartons and
frozen in a contuct plate jreezer at -3S'C. The sensory quality of frozen
stored cauliflowers related well to their residual peroxidase activity, which
was sensitive to the SO, treatment. Blanched cauliflowers following a brief
dip in a metabisulphite solution prior to freezing guve a significantly
(P<0.05) superior product even when stored for one year. ?he residual
peroxiduse activity, which ranged from I to 5.5 ?A in the blanched sumples.
was below 1 Yi in the SO,-treated samples, und the SO, content of 50ppm
found in these stored sumples disappeared after 3 min cooking in boiling
water.