Chopped hot pepper subjected to ultrahigh-pressure sterilization treatment and production and processing method of chopped hot pepper

Abstract

The invention belongs to the field of food, relates to the technical field of deep processing of chilies, in particular to chopped chilies subjected to ultrahigh-pressure sterilization treatment and a production and processing method thereof, and aims to solve the problem that the quality of the chopped chilies is changed due to fermentation time. The method comprises the following specific steps: 1, pretreatment of fresh chilies: selecting chilies, carefully selecting, cleaning, draining, removing pedicles and stems, and crushing to obtain pretreated chilies; 2, chopped chili blank preparation: adding a proper amount of table salt, bruised ginger and minced garlic in the step 1, adding a proper amount of citric acid and sodium pyrosulfite, and uniformly mixing by stirring; and 3, preparing chopped chilies: putting the chopped chilies obtained in the step 2 into a container, and naturally fermenting for 11-15 days at the temperature of 20-30 DEG C, so as to obtain the finished product of the chopped chilies. And finished product storage: carrying out vacuum sealing packaging on the finished product obtained in the step 3 in a food-grade polyethylene bag, then carrying out ultrahigh-pressure sterilization by using an ultrahigh-pressure sterilization technology and equipment, and finally storing under the environmental condition of 1-30 DEG C.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of food and relates to the technical field of deep processing of peppers, in particular to chopped peppers treated with ultrahigh pressure sterilization and a production and processing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Chopped chili peppers are a popular pickled vegetable dish. Key processes in chopped chili pepper processing include controlling the fermentation time and storing the finished product.

[0003] Chopped chili peppers are a unique culinary condiment of Guizhou. Their vibrant red color and rich, spicy, and tart flavor are both spicy and sour. Their unique combination of fragrant, spicy, fresh, sour, tender, salty, and crispy flavor is a favorite among people of all ages and a must-try in Guizhou cuisine. They are essential in dishes like "Fish-Fragrant Shredded Pork," "Fish-Fragrant Eggplant," "Guizhou-Style Twice-Cooked Pork," and "Fish Wrapped in Chives." They also serve as a base for pickles, kimchi, salads, and dipping sauces, demonstrating their importance in Guizhou cuisine. Traditionally, the chili peppers are cleaned and minced, then marinated with 8% salt. Adding ingredients like minced garlic and ginger, the mixture is sealed in ceramic jars and allowed to ferment continuously. However, this production method is not suitable for large-scale production, because there are certain requirements for the natural fermentation time of chopped peppers. Continuous long-term fermentation will affect the acidity, spiciness, and pepper pulp decay of the chopped peppers. The harvest of peppers is seasonal, so the fermentation time of chopped peppers is difficult to control, thus affecting the quality, and the problem of finished products deteriorating during storage.

[0004] The invention patent with publication number CN112293700A discloses a method for making flavored chopped chili peppers. It discloses a recipe of adding 300-500 grams of garlic, 200-400 grams of ginger, 80-120 grams of salt, 50-100 grams of 20-30 degree rice wine, 50-100 grams of rock sugar, and 2-3 fresh lemons to 1 kilogram of chili peppers. The method is fermented twice, with the first fermentation lasting 7-10 days and the second fermentation lasting 20-30 days. Although the fermentation time is controlled during the production process, it does not mention whether the finished product continues to ferment in the subsequent period of time, the storage method of the finished product, etc. The invention patent with publication number CN110150603A discloses a two-step fermentation process for producing chopped chili peppers with low salt content, good crispness and strong jar flavor. The process comprises adding diced garlic, diced ginger, salt and calcium chloride to the pretreated chili peppers, mixing them evenly, placing them in a basin, covering them with wet gauze and fermenting them naturally for 24-60 hours; adding vegetable oil and fermented black beans after fermentation, mixing them evenly, placing them in a fermentation jar, and sealing and fermenting them in a water bath at a constant temperature of 28-40°C for 1-3 months. This method also imposes certain restrictions on the fermentation time, but the second fermentation time exceeds 1 month, which is not suitable for large-scale production of chopped chili peppers.

[0005] Based on this, our company has been constantly trying in the long-term exploration of chopped chili pepper production, conducting research in the directions of inhibiting fermentation, conventional salinity, flavor preservation, etc., to avoid water pollution, high cost, poor taste and flavor, and low yield caused by high-salt preservation and desalination production, providing a new idea for the large-scale production and preparation of chopped chili peppers. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to provide an ultra-high pressure sterilized chopped chili pepper and a production and processing method thereof. This is achieved specifically through the following technical solutions:

[0007] The invention discloses chopped chili peppers sterilized under ultrahigh pressure and a production and processing method thereof. The method reduces the high salt content conventionally used for storing blanks, prolongs the storage period of the finished chopped chili peppers, and improves the stability of different batches of the chopped chili peppers. The finished product has a bright red color, a fresh taste, a moderate acidity, and preserves a unique flavor.

[0008] The main invention contents of the technical solution of the present invention are composed of four parts:

[0009] (1) Pretreatment of fresh peppers;

[0010] (2) Preparation of chopped chili pepper blank;

[0011] (3) Fermentation preparation of chopped chili peppers;

[0012] (4) Storage of chopped chili peppers.

[0013] Specifically, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0014] (1) Pretreatment of fresh peppers: Select local pepper varieties from Guizhou, such as Suiyang Chaotian pepper, Erjingtiao pepper, etc., carefully select (remove rotten ones, etc.), wash them 2-3 times with a pepper washer, drain them for 1-3 hours, then remove the stems and stalks, and then use a pepper chopper to break them into 0.8-1.2 cm pieces for later use.

[0015] (2) Preparation of chopped chili paste: put the chopped chili paste obtained in step (1) into a container, add 7-9% by weight of table salt, and an appropriate amount of table salt can effectively enhance the flavor of the chopped chili. Then add 0.1-0.3% by weight of citric acid, which not only enhances the sour taste of the chopped chili but also plays a certain antiseptic role and prolongs the shelf life of the chopped chili. Then add 0.01-0.03% by weight of sodium metabisulfite to effectively prevent the chopped chili from deteriorating during storage. Finally, add 0-2% by weight of minced garlic and 0-1% of minced ginger. An appropriate amount of minced garlic and minced ginger can bring a richer taste and aroma. Mix them evenly to finally obtain the chopped chili paste;

[0016] (3) Preparation of chopped peppers: placing the blank obtained in step (2) in a fermentation tank, fermentation vat, fermentation jar or other container, and placing it in an environment of 20-30° C. for natural fermentation for 11-15 days to obtain the finished chopped peppers;

[0017] (4) Storage of chopped chili peppers: The chopped chili peppers obtained in step (3) are placed in food-grade polyethylene bags and vacuum-sealed. The chopped chili peppers are then sterilized using ultra-high pressure sterilization technology and equipment, using water as the pressure medium, at a temperature below 30°C, at a pressure of 300-600 MPa for 10-20 minutes. Finally, the chopped chili peppers are stored at an ambient temperature of 1-30°C. When sold, the chopped chili peppers in the storage bag are directly placed in the packaging bag.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the technical effects created by the present invention are embodied in:

[0019] (1) Fresh peppers are carefully selected to remove spoiled and unsuitable products, ensuring the quality of the raw materials and reducing the contamination of the raw materials by harmful microorganisms. The traditional process is to remove the stems and caps of fresh peppers first. This process easily allows sewage to mix into the inner cavity of the peppers during the subsequent cleaning process, contaminating the raw materials. This process removes the stems and caps after careful cleaning, effectively preventing sewage from entering the peppers and effectively preventing the contamination of the product by miscellaneous bacteria.

[0020] (2) The quality of chopped chili peppers depends on the quality of the raw material. This method allows for rapid production during the seasonal concentrated supply period of fresh chili peppers and direct storage of finished products, reducing the use of preservatives, high-salt preservatives, and high-preservatives used in raw material storage, thereby reducing environmental pollution and better meeting the original ecological needs of chopped chili peppers.

[0021] (3) The quality of chopped peppers also depends on the fermentation time. Traditional chopped peppers are placed in a pickle jar and fermented for a long time. The quality of the chopped peppers prepared by this method will change according to the fermentation time. In the later stage, the acidity will deepen, the spiciness will decrease, the flavor will be strange, and even the bacterial flora will condense into pieces (commonly known as "flowering"). This method uses vacuum sealing and ultra-high pressure sterilization. First, it ensures that the finished chopped peppers are in an oxygen-free environment. Second, ultra-high pressure sterilization fully kills the fermentation bacteria in the sealed package, thereby fully inhibiting the continued fermentation of the chopped peppers. The finished product storage using this method can be stored for more than 12 months, and the quality of each batch can be stable, avoiding the influence of fermentation time on the quality of chopped peppers. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] Example 1

[0024] (1) Pretreatment of fresh peppers: Choose a processing type of pepper. Select fresh peppers, select carefully (remove rotten ones, etc.), wash twice, drain for 2 hours, remove the pepper stems and caps, and use a pepper chopper to chop into 0.8 cm pieces. Set aside;

[0025] (2) Preparation of chopped chili pepper blank: put the chopped chili pepper blank obtained in step (1) into a container, add 8% by weight of salt, 0.2% by weight of citric acid, 0.02% by weight of sodium metabisulfite, 2% by weight of garlic, and 1% by weight of ground ginger, and mix them evenly to obtain chopped chili pepper fermentation blank;

[0026] (3) Preparation of chopped chili peppers: placing the blank obtained in step (2) in a fermentation tank, fermentation vat, fermentation jar or other container, and placing it in an environment of 20-30° C. for natural fermentation for 13 days to obtain the finished chopped chili peppers;

[0027] (4) Finished product storage: The chopped chili product obtained in step (3) is placed in a food-grade polyethylene bag and vacuum-sealed. The product is then sterilized at a temperature below 30° C. using ultrahigh pressure sterilization technology and equipment, with water as the pressure medium, and pressurized to 500 MPa for 20 minutes. The product is then stored at 20° C.

[0028] Example 2

[0029] (1) Pretreatment of fresh peppers: Choose a processing type of pepper. Select fresh peppers, select carefully (remove rotten ones, etc.), wash twice, drain for 2 hours, remove the pepper stems and caps, and use a pepper chopper to chop into 0.8 cm pieces. Set aside;

[0030] (2) Preparation of chopped chili blank: put the chopped chili blank obtained in step (1) into a container, add 9% by weight of salt, 0.1% by weight of citric acid, 0.01% by weight of sodium metabisulfite, 1% by weight of garlic, and 0.5% by weight of ground ginger, and mix them evenly to obtain a chopped chili fermentation blank;

[0031] (3) Preparation of chopped peppers: placing the blank obtained in step (2) in a fermentation tank, fermentation vat, fermentation jar or other container, and placing it in an environment of 20-30° C. for natural fermentation for 11 days to obtain the finished chopped peppers;

[0032] (4) Finished product storage: The chopped chili product obtained in step (3) is placed in a food-grade polyethylene bag and vacuum-sealed. Then, the product is sterilized by ultra-high pressure sterilization technology and equipment using water as the pressure medium, pressurized to 400 MPa at a temperature below 30°C, and processed for 15 minutes. Finally, the product is stored at 25°C.

[0033] Example 3

[0034] (1) Pretreatment of fresh peppers: Choose a processing type of pepper. Select fresh peppers, select carefully (remove rotten ones, etc.), wash twice, drain for 2 hours, remove the pepper stems and caps, and use a pepper chopper to chop into 0.8 cm pieces. Set aside;

[0035] (2) Preparation of chopped chili blank: Put the chopped chili blank obtained in step (1) into a container, add 7% by weight of salt, 0.3% by weight of citric acid, and 0.03% by weight of sodium metabisulfite, and mix them evenly to obtain a chopped chili fermentation blank;

[0036] (3) Preparation of chopped peppers: placing the blank obtained in step (2) in a container such as a fermentation tank, a fermentation jar, a fermentation jar, or a fermentation jar, and placing it in an environment of 20-30° C. for natural fermentation for 15 days to obtain the finished chopped peppers;

[0037] (4) Finished product storage: The chopped chili product obtained in step (3) is placed in a food-grade polyethylene bag and vacuum-sealed. The product is then sterilized at a temperature below 30°C using ultrahigh pressure sterilization technology and equipment using water as the pressure medium and pressurized to 300 MPa for 10 minutes. The product is then stored at 30°C.

[0038] The shelf life of Examples 1-3 was statistically analyzed, and the results are shown in Table 1:

[0039] Table 1

[0040] The results of the color, aroma, and taste of the finished chopped peppers of Examples 1-3 were evaluated over time. The results are shown in Table 2:

[0041] Table 2

[0042] As can be seen from Table 1, the shelf life of the chopped chili blanks prepared in Examples 1-3 is 12.3-13.6 months, which is significantly improved compared to the short-term shelf life of the chopped chili in the prior art.

[0043] As can be seen from Table 2, the chopped chili peppers prepared in Examples 1-3 are relatively uniform in color, and the aroma and taste are affected by the fermentation time. Among them, Example 1 fermented for 13 days is the best. However, in general, the color, aroma and taste have relatively uniform quality within the shelf life, without significant differences.

[0044] The above description is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field, within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, who makes equivalent replacements or changes based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for producing and processing ultra-high pressure sterilized chopped chili peppers, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: (1) Pretreatment of fresh peppers: selecting peppers, sorting, washing, draining, removing the stems, and crushing to obtain pretreated peppers; (2) Preparation of chopped chili paste: Add an appropriate amount of salt to the chili obtained in step (1), add 0.1-0.3% by mass of citric acid, add 0.01-0.03% by mass of sodium metabisulfite, and then add an appropriate amount of minced garlic and minced ginger, mix well, and obtain the chopped chili paste; (3) Preparation of chopped chili peppers: placing the blank obtained in step (2) in a container such as a fermentation tank, a fermentation jar, a fermentation jar, or a fermentation jar, and placing it in an environment of 20-30° C. for natural fermentation to obtain the finished chopped chili peppers; (4) Finished product storage: The chopped chili product obtained in step (3) is placed in a food-grade polyethylene bag and vacuum-sealed, then ultra-high pressure sterilized using ultra-high pressure sterilization technology and equipment, and finally stored at an environmental condition of 1-30°C.

2. The crushing according to step (1) of claim 1, characterized in that: The pepper pulp is crushed into 0.8-1.2cm sized pieces.

3. The appropriate amount of salt in step (2) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that The specific mass of table salt accounts for 7-9%.

4. The appropriate amount of garlic and ginger powder in step (2) of claim 1, characterized in that: The specific weight ratio of garlic is 0-2%, and the weight ratio of ginger powder is 0-1%.

5. The natural fermentation of step (3) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The specific number of days for natural fermentation is 11-15 days.

6. The sterilization filling in step (3) of claim 1, characterized in that: The sterilization method is pasteurization.

7. The ultrahigh pressure sterilization according to claim 1, wherein Water is used as the pressure medium, the temperature of which is below 30°C, the pressure is increased to 300-600 MPa, and the treatment time is 10-20 minutes.

Images