Effect of electrolyzed water treatments on the quality of hand- and machine-peeled yams (Dioscorea spp.) during cold storage

The effect of electrolyzed water treatment on the quality of yams by different peeling methods during cold storage was evaluated. The turbidity of the immersion solution increased with extensive storage time while total sugar of yams exhibited the tendency to lessen. The composition of free sugars ranged in the order of fructose>glucose>sucrose except for the samples processed by hand-peeling electrolyzed water and anhydrous storage. The machine peeling showed the suppression of microorganisms that was 1 log cycle lower than hand peeling except EW-2-S. In both hand- and machine-peeled treatments of immersion storage, the effectiveness of the suppression of microorganisms was in the order of 0.6% acetic acid (AA)>EW-1-S>EW-2-S. The results of sensory characteristics of hand-peeled yam were slightly higher than the machine-peeled yam. Overall acceptance of sensory characteristics were: the sample processed by electrolyzed water and hydrous treatment (EW-1-S, EW-2-S)>the sample processed by electrolyzed water and anhydrous storage (EW-1-NS, EW-2-NS)>the sample processed by 0.6%AA and hydrous storage (0.6%AA). The results show that electrolyzed water and hydrous storage is effective on the storage of yams.