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Effects of smoking time and temperature on optimal chipotle pepper production were evaluated and optimized using the response surface methodology. Batches of red jalapeno peppers were smoked under different temperatures (65.8, 70, 80, 90, 94.1C) and times (0.96, 2, 4.5, 7, 8 h). Afterward, samples were evaluated for moisture, rheological properties and total phenols. Samples were then dried from 80C to between 0.123 and 0.204 kg H2O/kg dry matter and evaluated for rheological properties, texture, rehydration, color and phenols. Phenol content, rehydration ratio, firmness of peppers, and rheological properties and color of puree were affected (P < 0.05) by both temperature and time. Best smoking conditions used temperatures of 74–79C, and times between 8.0 and 7.4 h resulting in viscosities of 5.1– 6.5 Pa·s with phenol content of 110–120 mg/kg, rehydration ratios of 3.7–4.1, firmness of 1.27–1.49 N and acceptable color. Smoking time was significantly reduced and quality maintained.

The present investigation evaluated the chemical and thermal properties using lime and alternative calcium salts, and their effect on the characteristics of masa and tortilla obtained in a two-step nixtamalization process. White dent corn was cooked in calcium hydroxide solution (1.2% [w/v]; 1:3 maize : water ratio) at 80C (30 min), and the calcium hydroxide was replaced either by calcium chloride or lactate at calcium equilibrated concentration (30 min), and steeped in a cooking solution for 2,400 min. Grains were analyzed for water and calcium absorption, and apparent diffusion coefficients were calculated. Thermal properties of flour made from these grains were also determined. Additionally, the masa and tortilla made with nixtamalized corn flours were analyzed for texture and color, and an acceptability test was performed on the tortilla. Water absorption showed a notable increase during cooking, approaching an asymptotic maximum absorption after 8 h of steeping for all treatments. The maximum calcium absorption was obtained in stepwise nixtamalization with solutes of CaCl2 and C6H10O6Ca. The water apparent diffusion coefficients were adequately described by Fick's model and it was found that C6H10O6Ca showed the highest value (5.5901 × 10−10 m2/s), while that for calcium diffusion the model gave low fits. The thermal analysis showed that gelatinization temperatures were affected significantly (P

The effect of low-temperature blanching and drying processes on the ultrastructural and physical properties of Anaheim chilli pepper was studied and optimum conditions to provide a final product with maximum firmness were determined. Lots of Anaheim pepper were blanched in water for 4min at 48, 55, 65, 75 and 82 ◦ C and maintained for hold times of 35, 45, 60, 75 and 85min, blanched again for 4min at 96 ◦ C and dehydrated at 53, 60, 70, 80 and 87 ◦ C. After treatment the samples were rehydrated in water at 30 ◦ C. Rehydration ratio, texture and structural changes were evaluated. Optimisation used a second-order rotatable central composite design. Texture and rehydration ratio were affected by blanching temperature and the interaction of blanching temperature with hold time (p ≤ 0.05); drying temperature did not show a significant effect. The best results, ie those which gave greatest firmness, were obtained by blanching at 64 ◦ C for 4min, holding for 55min after blanching, followed by a second blanching at 96 ◦ C for 4min and then drying at 70 ◦ C. Evaluation of the rehydrated dried pepper by microscopy showed that low-temperature blanching close to the optimum conditions provided a protective effect in maintaining cell wall integrity. The results of processing increased firmness in the rehydrated product by a factor of 1.97.  2003 Society of Chemical Industry

Diced green bell pepper was blanched twice, once at 51-79 °C for 19-61 min, and once at 95 °C for 3 min, and dried. The firmness of rehydrated samples was measured by puncture, and optimum conditions assessed by response surface methodology. The optimized model showed that, blanching at 65 °C for 49 min gave a 64% increase in puncture force over the control. The optimum temperature was used to evaluate the effect of adding CaCl 2 . The dices were blanched twice, once at 65 °C for 3 min in either 0 or 4% CaCl 2 , secondly in either 0 or 2% CaCl 2 solution at 95 °C for 3 min. In the second case the dices had been held at room temperature for 0-30 min before treatment. Adding CaCl 2 increased puncture force significantly (P ≤ 0.05). The best results, those which gave greatest firmness, were obtained by blanching at 65 °C for 3 min in 4% CaCl 2 , holding for 16 min after blanching, followed by a secondary blanching at 95 °C in 2% CaCl 2 . Du poivron vert en cube a ete blanchi deux fois puis seche. La fermete du poivron rehydrate a ete mesure et les conditions optimales ont ete determinees: le blanchiment a 65° pendant 49 min donne les meilleurs resultats. Le poivron en cube a ensuite ete blanchi a 65° pendant 3 min.puis 95° pendant 3 min. en presence de chlorure de calcium a concentration variable, a chaque fois. Les meilleurs resultats sont obtenus pour CaCl 2 a 4% puis CaCl 2 a 2% pour le deuxieme blanchiment.