Kinetic Parameters of Changes in Sensory Characteristics of Minimally Processed Rambutan

Abstract

The aim of this work was to develop kinetic models to describe the sensory changes of minimally processed rambutan. Quality was assessed by a trained panel. The attributes that most decreased were freshness, aroma, and appearance (17–38%), and the defects that were more increased were off-odors and off-flavors (28–67%). Although whole fruit is sensitive to chilling injury, minimally processed rambutan is preserved better at 4.6 °C. Color, sweetness, and off-odor changes were adjusted to first-order kinetic and the other characteristics to zero order. Sourness, aroma, and color have higher activation energies (235–297.4 KJ mol–1), and these characteristics would change faster if failure in the cold chain occurs.