Abstract

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This research paper concern processing of large cucumber slices with focus on the effects of proc-essing on quality characteristic of slices promoted by growing cucumber in normal and dry seasons and the second step is concerned about cutting angle by slicing of cucumber halves. The most important quality charac-teristics are drained weight, firmness, brittleness, lightness L, greenness a, and yellowness that are determined by the quality of the raw cucumbers and processing variable such as peeling, slicing, blanching, cooling, pas-teurization, storage time, temperature and storage conditions. Consideration of orientation of the cutting angle showed that it may be necessary to improve the cutting praxis order to make a higher percentage of slices with length as a half circumference of cucumbers weighing one kg. An experiment with blanching of cucumber slices at 70 to 85°C showed a linear dependent between slice firmness and a logarithmic relationship at temperatures above 80°C. At low temperature could this relationship be described using linear functions and the effect of heath at 1°C was linear. Data from an experiment with blanching for 1, 2 and 4 min at 90°C showed that drained weight increased after blanching both before and after slicing. Firmness was significantly low by blanching before slicing, whereas firmness increased significantly by blanching after slicing. Lightness de-creased with increasing blanching and storage time and the significantly highest lightness was obtained by blanching after slicing. Greenness, yellowness and lightness decreased significantly by increasing blanching and storage time.

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