Preparing Raw Materials for Preserves

Preparing Raw Materials for Preserves

• Preserves are fruits or vegetables in thick syrup, cooled until clear, plump, and translucent.
• Fruit in syrup is preserved fruit in a sugar solution, preserved by pasteurization.

Steps in Preparing Raw Materials

• Sorting: Select mature, whole, unblemished, undamaged fruits.
• Washing: Clean with water to reduce bacteria.
• Cleaning: Remove skins, cores, and pits.
• Cutting: Cut into halves or pieces (if needed).

Preliminary Heat Treatment

• Aims to soften tissues, eliminate wax-prone byproducts, and deactivate enzymes (especially for pomace fruits).
• Must be minimized to prevent sugar loss.
• Apricots, black cherries, and grapes typically do not require preliminary heat treatment.
• Cooling is crucial to prevent discoloration and color changes, reducing corrosion in metal receptacles.

Additional Steps

• Receptacle Filling: Fill containers with prepared fruit.
• Sugar Syrup Preparation: Prepare the sugar syrup solution.
• Preheating/Emptying: Eliminate air from tissues using steam or water to reach 80-90°C for 10-15 minutes; maintain this temperature.
• Hermetic Sealing: Seal containers appropriately based on receptacle type and cap.

Pasteurization

• Performed at 100°C, either in continuous installations or water baths.
• Fruit in syrup can also be pasteurized at 80-90°C to potentially enhance flavor retention.

Cooling and Syrup Preparation

• Refractometeric extract measurement 30 days post-manufacturing is important for determining appropriate sugar syrup concentration. This process is important to check the concentration for each case.

• Hot Syrup: Use syrup at a minimum of 80°C to create a vacuum after cooling in the receptacle.

• Acid Modification: Include 0.3-0.5% citric or tartaric acid for fruits with low acidity.

• 0.8% ascorbic acid to maintain color and taste.

This quiz covers the essential steps in preparing raw materials for making preserves, including sorting, washing, cleaning, and cutting fruits. It also addresses preliminary heat treatment and sugar syrup preparation. Test your knowledge on preserving fruits and vegetables in syrup.