Physicochemical alterations of carrot properties through the application of edible film coating prior to heat treatment

The objective of this study was to examine the alterations in carrot properties resulting from the application of edible coatings before subjecting them to heat treatment. Three different heat treatments (frying, baking, boiling) and three types of coating solutions (chitosan, zein, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC)) were utilized in the research. The carrots underwent analysis for pH, titratable acidity (TA), texture, water activity(aw), water-soluble dry matter (WSDM), color (L*, a*, b*, C*, ∆E, hue), total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH). The findings indicated that the texture of the coated carrots and the WSDM value of zein-coated carrots were higher than those of the control group after heat treatment. Notably, the HPMC-coated sample exhibited the most significant color difference. Zein and chitosan-coated carrots displayed high TPC and antioxidant capacity after baking, but all coated carrots exhibited low values after frying.