Ascorbic Acid and 5‐Methyltetrahyclrofolate Losses in Vegetables with Cook/Chill or Cook/Hot‐Hold Foodservice Systems

The percent retention of vitamin C and 5‐methyltetrahydrofolate in seven cooked vegetables was analyzed using HPLC and compared in simulated cook/chill vs cook/hot‐hold hospital foodservices. Retention of vitamins after conduction and infra‐red reheating was investigated. Vegetables reheated after one day of chilled storage had greater losses of both vitamins compared to those held at 72°C for 30 min, but better vitamin retention than vegetables held hot 2 hr. There was no significant difference in nutrient retention due to method of reheating. If warm‐holding is restricted to < 90 min, vitamin retention in vegetables is likely to be higher in a cook/hot‐hold foodservice than with a cook/chill system.