A Catalytic Infrared System as a Hot Water Replacement Strategy: A Future Approach for Blanching Fruits and Vegetables to Save Energy and Water
Yuqing Wang, Long Zhang, Xiaojie Yu, Cunshan Zhou, Abu ElGasim A. Yagoub, Dajing Li
Abstract
The preservation and subsequent processing of fruits and vegetables are based on high-quality raw materials, and blanching in hot water is one of the most important and common pre-treatment methods. Blanching improves raw material quality and nutrient stability while eliminating microorganisms and inactivating oxidase enzymes. The downsides of the conventional method are high water usage, high energy consumption, and poor product quality. Modern food processing aims to reduce environmental impact and increase energy efficiency while maintaining food’s nutritional value. The new technology of catalytic infrared blanching provides homogeneous heating, rapid heat transmission, and high-quality products with guaranteed safety. Additionally, infrared technology offers minimal energy consumption and environmental preservation. Recently, catalytic infrared processing has been used for drying, storage, and peeling. Recent academic research on infrared and catalytic infrared has been put together to make infrared and, especially, catalytic infrared blanching technology more flexible and long-lasting.