REVERSIBLE COMPRESSION OF DEHYDRATED PEAS

Freeze-dried peas were compressed 4-fold and subsequently rehydrated to virtually their precompression characteristics. Histological studies showed that conventional processes of freezing and freeze-drying result in considerable disruption of cell walls. Contrary to what was anticipated, compression forces of 1000-2000 psi resulted in only a slight increase in breakage of cell walls. However, no correlation was established between cell disruption or texture and increasing compression force. A study of the effects of plasticizing moisture and compression force enabled optimization of processing conditions resulting in compressed peas which can be reconstituted to virtually their precompression characteristics.