| The present experimental activity aims to improve the quality of apple wedges (var. Golden delicious) during 8-h drying at 60°C, using dipping treatments in fruit juices (orange, pineapple, green kiwifruit, yellow kiwifruit) and/or herbal teas (green tea, dandelion, licorice, roselle). Preliminary tests allowed to select both pineapple and green kiwifruit juices as well as roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) dry extract as feasible pretreatments able to control enzymatic browning by reducing the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. In fact, 70, 80 and 100% inhibition of PPO activity were achieved using green kiwifruit (5% v/v), pineapple (7.7% v/v) juices and roselle dry extract (1.5% w/v), respectively. The selected fruit juices, alone and in combination with... |
