Chlorophyll Stability During Continuous Aseptic Processing and Storage

Spinach puree was aseptically processed and packaged at four time‐temperature treatments (19.2 and 5.3 sec @ 142°C; 19.2 and 12.2 sec @ 137°C). Samples processed at 142°C for 5.3 sec retained 68% of total chlorophyll compared to blanched samples while all chlorophylls were degraded in retorted product. The rate of chlorophyll b degradation and pheophytin b formation during storage in flexible containers at 4, 25, and 40°C fit a first order kinetic model. Apparent activation energies during storage for each time‐temperature treatment ranged between 11.1 and 14.3 kcal/mol. Analyses of degradation products indicated oxidation during storage was not a dominant factor in chlorophyll conversion and color loss.