48 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 449 



percent solution and did not keep as well as untreated blooms. WiUte flowers, 

 such as gardenias and carnations, treated with the 10 and 20 percent solutions, 

 showed great variability in keeping quality as compared with untreated blooms. 



Treatment of gardenia flowers did not give consistent results in keeping the 

 petals from turning brown, even for a period of 24 hours. Individual flowers 

 •within the treated lot turned brown while others remained in good condition. 

 This reaction took place on blooms when kept under refrigeration and at room 

 temperature. The variable response of gardenia flowers to the treatment seems 

 to be due to physiological differences in the flowers. 



Florists' ferns treated with the resin solutions kept in much better condition 

 than untreated ferns. The treated ferns kept for a week at room temperature 

 tefore the leaflets began to shed, while the check bunches were in poor condition 

 after 24 hours. Asparagus plumosus treated with 10 and 20 percent solutions 

 gave excellent results. 



Passionflowers close shortly after they are cut and usually are treated with 

 paraffin to keep them open. Treatment of blooms with Geon 3 IX Latex in 50 

 percent concentration was not effective in keeping such flowers open. 



DEPARTMENT OF FOOD TECHNOLOGY 

 C. R. Fellers in Charge 



Frozen Apples. (W. B. Esselen, Jr., C. R. Fellers, and J.E.W. McConnell.) 

 On the basis of experiments conducted here during the past three years as well 

 as commercial experience and practice it would appear that there are several pro- 

 cedures which can be employed to produce frozen apples of satisfactory quality. 

 Of the different methods used to prevent darkening, such as blanching, deaeration, 

 sulfurous acid dips, ascorbic acid, syrups, and others, each has certain advantages 

 and disadvantages. The selection of which anti-darkening to use may depend 

 upon the volume of production, plant facilities, and demands of the consumer. 

 Por example, apples treated with sulfurous acid may have a residual sulfur dioxide 

 flavor unless care and control are exercised during the operation. Blanching 

 ■causes some loss of flavor and solids but does not impart off-flavors. The use 

 of ascorbic acid can yield good results if specific procedures are followed which 

 are applicable to the particular raw material and plant operation. The use of 

 sugar or syrup in conjunction with ascorbic acid or other treatments may present 

 a problem because the apples when thawed will have an excessive quantity of 

 syrup and juice. Some consumers may object to this excess syrup as being a 

 waste of sugar and apple flavor. On the other hand the syrup is a valuable adjunct 

 to the frozen apples in providing protection against oxidation during freezing 

 and thawing. It can be used effectively if it is drained from the thawed slices, 

 concentrated, and added to the pie. Some bakers handle the sugar in this manner. 



It has been frequently observed that pies made from properly prepared frozen 

 apples were superior in fresh apple flavor and aroma to pies made from untreated 

 fresh apples. The effectiveness of anti-darkening and antioxidant treatments 

 given frozen apples carries through into the finished pie and tends to stabilize 

 the apple flavor. The use of suitable antioxidants in pies made from fresh apples 

 is worthy of consideration from the standpoint of maintaining optimum flavor. 



