Kinetics of ascorbic acid loss during hot water blanching of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) leaves

The kinetics of thermal degradation of ascorbic acid in fluted pumpkin leaves were investigated from 60 to 90A degrees C (pH 5.0 to 6.5). Ascorbic acid degradation was modeled as a first order rate reaction with the rate constants increasing with increase in pH of the medium. The pH and temperature dependence of the rates of destruction gave highly significant correlations when analyzed by the thermal resistance and activated complex reaction rate methods. Activation energy (Ea) ranged from 41.2 to 18.2 kJ/mol while D-values ranged from 103.3 to 22.4 min. The changes in activation energy affected K(o) values which ranged from 5.98 x 10(4) to 41.7 min(-1).