Effect of hydrocolloid and processing potentiality on water migration in apple jellies of Yinduqing cultivar

Numerous quality characteristics of food products are dependent on the microstructure and water status. In this study, LF-NMR and MRI techniques were applied for the evaluation of quality and water dynamics in apple jellies of Yinduqing cultivar during the course of 45 days storage. The present study investigated the impact of processing potentiality and formulation of hydrocolloid on water migration in jellies through non-destructive technique. The ingredients utilized in preparing the jelly were 500 mL juice, 400 g/kg sugar with 0, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0% gelatin, respectively. Transverse relaxation time T2 exhibited three distinct water fractions (T21, T22, and T23) in the jelly samples during processing. Significant correlations were established between LF-NMR and physicochemical parameters. The macromolecular substance and gelatin influenced the water dynamics and caused a considerable variation in the T1 and T2 weighted MR images. Thus, the study revealed the feasibility of using non-destructive techniques in determining the dynamics of water within jelly products.