Microwave Blanching: An Emerging Trend in Food Engineering and its Effects on Capsicum annuum L

Abstract Blanching is the most widely used processing techniques that increases the shelf life of fruits, vegetables and canned food. It softens the fruits and vegetables, aids in peeling and is vital to the canning process. This review elucidates the pros and cons of blanching – both wet and dry – on food products, with a special reference to bell peppers. Agricultural products with high nutritional value and substantial market demand need to be preserved to retain freshness and nutritional qualities till it reaches the processing industry or the consumer. In this review, we described the various attributes of the wet and dry blanching processes with the aim of providing a guide for the reader to design a blanching technique that may maximize the retention of nutrients, micronutrients and volatiles while minimizing the retention of enzymes that cause degradation of fruits and vegetables. Practical Applications This study shows that microwave blanching of food products is far better approach than other blanching methods as it causes minimal/lesser damage unlike IR blanching and wet blanching methods. This can be said based on the fact that microwave blanching does not involve water as required in the process of wet blanching and, thus, reduces the chances of microbial contamination. The results found in this study can be applied in the development of an optimized blanching approach as to minimize the retention of enzymes that causes degradation and to maximize the retention of nutrients, micronutrients and volatiles.