AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 59 



berries retained most of their original flavor, but developed a tougher 

 texture. 



IV. The Effect of Freezing and Dehydration upon the Carotene 

 Content of Blue Hubbard Squash 



This study was planned to determine what happens to the carotene 

 in squash when it is preserved for winter use by freezing and by dehydra- 

 tion. In addition, samples of squash from the same harvest were also kept in 

 cold storage, a more common way of home preservation for winter use. 

 Following various storage periods of all three forms, comparisons were 

 made of the changes in carotene values. 



Five Blue Hubbard squashes were selected from a large picking and 

 allowed to ripen for two weeks. The squashes were cut in small pieces 

 and aliquots removed for freezing and drying. For the samples to be 

 frozen, representative pieces from each squash were individually ground in 

 an electric food chopper. The ground samples were steam-blanched, and 

 the effectiveness of the blanching period was determined by the peroxidase 

 test. The squashes were not equally ripe, and varying steaming periods 

 were necessary to inactivate the enzymes. Blanched, chopped samples 

 were frozen at temperatures previously mentioned and stored at 0° to 

 -f-10°F. Carotene determinations were made immediately after blanching 

 and after six months of storage. The remainder of the squash was pared 

 in very thin slices for dehydrating. The temperature was regulated so as 

 not to exceed 150°F. 



Samples of the dehydrated squash were tested for carotene immediate- 

 ly after the dehydration and after four and six months of storage. The 

 remainder of the Blue Hubbard squashes gathered at the one picking were 

 kept in cold storage, and representative samples of the squash were 

 ground and analyzed for carotene after two weeks, approximately three 

 months, and approximately six months of storage. 



Fourteen Butternut squashes were handled in the same manner as the 

 Blue Hubbard. Carotene analyses were made at the same intervals. 



In the samples analyzed after two weeks' storage, the carotene of the 

 Butternut was much greater on the fresh-weight basis than the Blue Hub- 

 bard. However, on the dry weight basis the dift'erence was not very 

 great — Blue Hubbard: 1.870 nig. (fresh), 18.015 iiig. (dry); Butternut: 

 2.810 mg. (fresh), 20.143 mg. (dry). Blanching decreased the carotene 

 (fresh-weight basis) in both cases. Loss due to blanching amounted to 15.5 

 per cent for Blue Hubbard — 15.5 per cent and 19.7 per cent for Butter- 

 nut. Dehydration of Blue Hubbard squash seemed to further decrease its 

 carotene content. Dehydration of Butternut squash resulted in an apparent 

 increase of carotene, and this higher level was maintained over the storage 

 period. The total loss over the storage period was approximately 33 per 

 cent for Butternut and 20 per cent for Blue Hubbard. However, even af- 

 ter these losses, the dried Butternut product contained 2 J4 times as much 

 carotene as the Blue Hubbard, on either the fresh- or dry-weight basis. 



Frozen Blue Hubbard squash, stored six months, contained 1.577 mg. 

 (fresh weight basis) carotene per 100 gins, or less than 1 per cent varia- 

 tion from the originally blanched sample. Frozen Butternut squash, stored 

 six months, contained 1.490 mg. per 100 guis. or 33 per cent less than the 

 blanched sample. 



