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Effects of Post-Harvest Handling and Processing on Vitamin Contents of Peas
This research is supported by USDA Competitive Grant No. 516-15-103. The authors express thanks to Paul Kintner, Gail Galbraith, Jeff Fickling, Jonathan LeBowitz, Bob Kime, Kris Evans, and Don Downing for their assistance in sampling and preparation and analyses of samples. Excellent cooperation of C-B Foods, Gerber Products Company, and Seneca Foods-East in supplying samples is gratefully acknowledged.
ABSTRACT
Vitamin contents of peas were measured at various stages of raw product handling, during 1976–1979 seasons, on different cultivars, on different sizes of peas, at various stages of processing, and at different processing plants. Some cultivar differences were shown in ascorbic acid, carotene, and folic acid, and different sizes of peas contained significantly different amounts of ascorbic acid, carotene, and thiamin contents. Profound effects were observed during blanching and thermal processing of peas. Ascorbic acid, thiamin, vitamin B6, and niacin contents of canned peas were significantly (95% level) lower than those of fresh peas. Also some significant differences in vitamin contents of canned peas among different processing plants were observed.