The effect of killing conditions on the structural changes in vanilla (Vanilla planifolia, Andrews) pods during the curing process

The effect of seven methods of killing vanilla (Vanilla planifolia, Andrews) pods on disassembly of the cell wall was studied. The following methods of plant killing were considered in this study: pod immersions in hot water under three conditions (65 °C for 3 min, 70 °C for 2 min, 80 °C for 10 s each of three times in 30 s intervals), pod immersions in 1% NaOH at 22 °C or 65 °C for 3 min, pod immersions in 95% ethanol at 22 °C for 60 min, and freezing at −10 °C for 24 h. Two procedures of vanilla pod killing, pod freezing at −10 °C for 24 h or pod immersions in hot water at 80 °C for 10 s each of three times in 30 s intervals, provoked the deepest and fastest disassembly of the cell wall structure and the successive cell content blending of the vanilla pod during the 8 days after curing.