Scanning electron microscopy combined with image processing technique: Microstructure and texture analysis of legumes and vegetables for instant meal.

Development and innovation of new technologies are necessary especially in food quality; due that most instrumental technique for measuring quality properties involves a considerable amount of manual work. Image analysis is a technique that allows to provide objective evaluations from digitalized images that can estimate quality parameters for consumer's acceptance. The aim of the present research was to study the effect of freeze drying on the microstructure and texture of legume and vegetables using scanning electron microscopy at different magnifications' combined with image analysis. Cooked and cooked freeze dried rehydrated legumes and vegetables were analyzed individually by scanning electron microscopy at different magnifications' (250, 500, and 1000×).Texture properties were analyzed by texture analyzer and image analysis. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were obtained for image and instrumental texture parameters. A linear trend with a linear correlation was applied for instrumental and image features. Results showed that image features calculated from Grey level co-occurrence matrix at 1,000× had high correlations with instrumental features. In rice, homogeneity and contrast can be applied to evaluate texture parameters gumminess and adhesiviness; Lentils: contrast, correlation, energy, homogeneity, and entropy for hardness, adhesiviness, gumminess, and chewiness; Potato and carrots: contrast, energy, homogeneity and entropy for adhesiviness, chewiness, hardness, cohesiviness, and resilence. Results revealed that combing scanning electron microscopy with image analysis can be a useful tool to analyze quality parameters in legumes and vegetables.