Glass transition and crystallization of solid model system of jujube slice as influenced by sugars and organic acids.

To understand the specific contributions of amorphous sugars and organic acids to the quality of food matrix, the solid model system of jujube slice skeleton (JSS) was firstly established. Effects of fructose (F), glucose (G), malic acid (M) and citric acid (C) on the glass transition temperature (T _g ) and crystallization of JSS were studied. JSS-F/G/M/C blends were prepared by osmosis in the solution at a range of 0 ~ 32 g/100 g. Sugars reduced the T _g in the system, structure of JSS-G/M blends was changed from "amorphous glassy" to "amorphous rubbery" by increasing the osmotic solute concentration. T _g was decreased from 50.8 to 14.0 °C when JSS was osmosed in a 4 g/100 g fructose solution. Organic acids induced their crystallization in JSS. The crystallinity of JSS-M immersed in 32 g/100 g osmotic solution concentration was increased from 2% to 75%. Fructose presented greater influence on the adverse quality of jujube slices.
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