• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.40-53
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• 2012

The quality changes of vegetables including cucumbers, young pumpkins, carrots, radishes, onions by different cooking methods in $90^{\circ}C$ water, 0.5% NaCl solution, 1.0% NaCl solution and $400^{\circ}C$ superheated steam were investigated. The changes in pH of cooked vegetables were increased. Hunter color system values for L(lightness), a(redness) and b(yellowness) of the vegetables cooked in $400^{\circ}C$ supetbeated steam for 30 seconds were less compared with those in $90^{\circ}C$ water, 0.5% NaCl solution and 1.0% NaCl solution. The microbial growth was inhibited very effectively when the vegetables cooked in $400^{\circ}C$ superheated steam for 30 seconds. After cooked in $90^{\circ}C$ water, 0.5% NaCl solution, 1.0% NaCl solution, $400^{\circ}C$ superheated steam, vitamin C content decreased by different ratio depending on cooking methods and vegetable varieties. Based on the results of the quality changes of cooked vegetables, the superheated steam cooking method showed a positive effect on sterilization and maintaining pH, color, hardness of vegetable tissues, vitamin C content. The data obtained from this study could be utilized as basic information for the optimum conditions of superheated steam cooking to develope HMR(Home Meal Replacement).