Consuming Thoughts Fay Strickler Penn State Extension Home Economist For Berks Co. During the past several years, Pennsylvania State University food scientists in the College of Agriculture have conducted research on blanching vegetables. Results of their research will help consumers improve the qual ity of freezing vegetables in their home. Blanching vegetables prior to freezing not only improves fla vor but also improves color and texture. Blanching is the process of heating vegetables quickly to destroy enzymes, remove air, and shrink food. This practice minim izes vitamin losses and slows unwanted color and flavor changes that occur after veget ables are frozen. It also reduces environmental and pesticide residues and kills or removes many microorganisms on veget able surfaces. Members of the Food Science ■ It’s that time again... Northeast Agri Systems! Annual Fan Blow-Out! 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If the bacterial qual- However, microwave and steam nents it should changed after ity permits vegetables to be eaten blanching may be less effective in each three to 10 batchS to prevent raw, as is the case except where removing microorganisms and it > s adding strong o ff-flavors to fresh animal manure is used residues from food surfaces. blanched vegetables around growing plants, then air* Blanching times depend on the if vou wt f u i d lik ' a cooUng of blanched vegetables is blanching method as well as the complimentary copy of the Penn an acceptable practice and results kinds and sizes of vegetables. Ide- state * s recommendations for in a safe food with superior al times are just enough to destroy blanching vegetables pick \p a qu * bty - u . M u "J ost enzymes. If vegetables are copy at our office or send a self- Vegetables may be blanched in -blanched for too short a time, their addressed business size envelope boiling water, microwave ovens, quality may be worse than if not with 45 cents postage to: Blanch or steam. Compared with those blanched at all. Over-blanching Vegetables, Berks County Wanched . in h Ol ‘”8 wa ter. micro- causes excessive quality losses. Cooperative Extension, Berks Co wave and steam-blanched veget- The water used for blanching Ag Center PO Box 520 Leesnort Department have perfected micro- ables retain more water-soluble gradually accumulates dirt, pa losruwn ’ ' wave blanching, but learned that __i .. _ m m —. . ' . Breakthroughs May Enhance Economic microwave. ■ They have successfully microwave-blanched and air cooled spinach, sugar snap peas, green beans, and Brussel sprouts and found them to be superior to conventionally blanched and water-cooled vegetables. However, researchers disliked microwave-blanched broccoli and cauliflower. Air-cooling of blanched veget ables has been discouraged for years. Past directions emphasized that blanched vegetables should always be water-cooled, even using ice in many references, to maximize the nutrient content. Now it is know that properly heat-stabilized (blanched) veget ables lose both water-soluble vita- * Manufactured for Chore-Time by Aerotech FD 48 Direct drive 48" fan with 115-230 volt, 1 HP motor in wood crate with guards. *289 Value Of Dairy Products HUNGTINGDON (Hunting- that il almost eliminates the an- may he, in part, to deliver retinol don Co.) —By manipulating the noying tendency of yogurt to form m the developing nursing animal, molecular structure of a milk pro- pools of liquid during storage, said Humans do not make this suh tcin, Cornell University scientists Carl Ball, associate professor of stance, although placental protein have demonstrated the feasibility tcxid science. 14 , s very similar of creating new dairy ingredients and products with*cnhanccd eco nomic value. The researchers have borrowed genetic engineering techniques used by the pharmaceutical indus try, in which properties of a mole cule arc predictably changed bas ed on a knowledge of its three-di mensional structure. To illustrate the technique’s potential, they have slightly altered the structure of a milk protein normally found in whey, bcta-lactoglobulm, so ■ Motor/bearmg mounts faalure parallel "L-beam" design (or solid stability with minimal air resistance ■ Aerodynamic, galvanized steel propeller delivers high efficiency airflow ■ Galvanized steel housing with spun orifice provides strength, rigidity and smooth, efficient airflow NCF 48 Belt driven 48’ fan with 230 volt, 1 HP energy efficient motor, in wood crate with guards. *309 “ImprovcmcnLs lo bcta-lacto globulin that enhance ns perfor mance during food processing will have a profound effect on its eco nomic value,” he said. “We’ve shown that genes can be altered lo produce variants of bcta-lactoglo bulm. We’ve shown that these genes can be altered to produce variants of bcta-lactoglobulin. We have every reason to believe that these genes eventually can be ex pressed in cows, which would open new markets for the use of whey proteins.” Bcta-lactoglobulin is found in the milk of many, but not all, rum inants. An interior cavity in the protein binds a vitamin, retinol, and scientists believe bcta-lacto globulm’s physiological function • Stone Wall Repairs • Installation & Maintenance of Concrete Bunker Silos • PreCast Gunite Lined Water or Manure Storage Tanks Were 'lfie *Concrete SpeciaCists ' MAR-ALLEN CONCRETE PRODUCTS, INC. s MB bb Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 18, 1994-B5 Gunite Construction • Precast Concrete Products Bildga Rapalf • Tank Rapak • Holding Tanka • Inttallallon • by PannOot 20 Cocalico Creek Rd. Ephrata, PA 17522 (717) 859-4921 Yogurt made with small amounts of modified bcta-lacto glohulm forms a gel six to 10 limes as easily as ordinary yogurt, Ball said. The process also cuts the processing temperature from 85 degrees Celsius to 70 degrees or less, eliminates the need to add starch in order to obtain a better gel, and reduces the lime needed for curd formation. All these fac tors could lower the cost of yogurt manufacturing. In addition, the modified protein reduced the se paration of whey into the pools on lop of yogurt by as much as 83 percent. The researchers also arc exploring using modified beta lactoglobuhns as transport agents for pharmaceuticals • Dam, Reservoir & Spillway Repair • Slatted Floor Systems • Silo Repairs 1-800-477-4921