Rhubarb Juice as a Natural Antibrowning Agent

• Published in: Journal of food science Vol. 65; no. 8; pp. 1288 - 1289
• Main Authors: Son, S.M., Moon, K.D., Lee, C.Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2000; Institute of Food Technologists; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Apples; Beverages; Biological and medical sciences; browning activity; Color; Food additives; Food industries; Food science; fresh-cut apple; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; natural antibrowning agents; oxalic acid; rhubarb juice; Vegetables; Vegetable juice; Natural product; Environmental factor; Pome fruit; Antibrowning agent; Organic acids; Prevention; Browning; Apple; Oxalic acid; Plant origin; Rhubarb; Vegetable; Vegetable product
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2000.tb10598.x

To search for natural antibrowning agents, rhubarb juice was tested on fresh‐cut apple slices and found to have a potent effect. Liberty apple slices were treated in various concentrations of rhubarb juice (5%–100%), and the rate of discoloration at room temperature was measured by a Hunter Colorimeter. Apple slices treated in the 5%– 10% solution showed browning activity with dL values of 2.3 – 2.5 at two hours. However, the concentrations of rhubarb juice above 20% inhibited apple browning effectively with no change in the L value for several hours. Analysis of oxalic acid in rhubarb juice showed that the 20% solution contained about 67 mg/100g.