The blog of cooking-ez.com

Vitamin C against blackening


Vitamin C against blackening
You've probably heard of this tip: to prevent fruit or vegetables from turning brown or black, simply add or sprinkle lemon juice over them.
It's very effective, but why does lemon juice have this effect?
6,006 5/5 based on 2 reviews
Grade this page:

Last modified on: July 14th 2023

Keywords for this post:TipsTricksVitamin CBlackeningBrowningOxidationAntioxidant
Vitamin C against blackening
Well, that's because it contains vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant, not the lemon itself or its acidity.

Let's imagine you want to make a fruit purée, for a sorbet or a fruit coulis, pears for example: you peel the pears, remove the cores and blend the whole thing, it's very simple.
The problem is that the pear purée will oxidize very quickly and change color, while the taste will not change (or only slightly), but it will be less appetizing.
Here's the trick: add a pinch of vitamin C to your fruit purée (as you blend), and the result is spectacular.

purée de poires

Here's a photo of a pear puree made 5 minutes ago: in the glass on the left, the puree on its own; in the glass on the right, the same puree with a pinch of vitamin C.

vitamine C

Vitamin C can be found in pharmacies, and you need to ask for some "for food use", i.e. non-aromatized lemon or orange, or in stores for the food trade. It's not very expensive, and you take a pinch each time.

Finally, a few examples of fruits and vegetables where vitamin C works wonders: avocados in guacamole, raw peeled purple artichokes (soaked in water with a pinch of vitamin C), strawberry or apricot coulis, etc.
As a general rule, whenever you have to soak something (vegetables or fruit) to prevent browning, systematically add a pinch or two of vitamin C to the water. You'll be amazed at how effective it is.

To sum up: a pinch of vitamin C in a preparation is highly effective in preventing the browning of fresh produce.

Lasts posts
Clean your mixer easily
Clean your mixer easily
If you use a "bowl" or "blender" mixer, as opposed to a plunger, you've probably noticed that it's a bit of a hassle to clean it after use. And yet, with a simple trick, it can be done very quickly. See how here.
1,4935 June 26th 2024
Preserving egg yolks
Preserving egg yolks
If you're using only the egg whites in a recipe (such as meringues ), you'll need to store the yolks until you're ready to use them again. There's nothing very complicated about this in principle - all you have to do is chill them, but there are a few pitfalls to be avoided in practice.
2,0165 June 18th 2024
Preservative oil, an asset for taste
Preservative oil, an asset for taste
When you prepare a dish using an ingredient that has been preserved in fat, for example a springtime mixed salad with tuna in oil or sun-dried tomatoes, you're probably going to make a french dressing (vinaigrette) next. In that case, why not use the preserved oil from the tuna or tomatoes?
2,1805 June 5th 2024
Don't throw away disposable piping bags
Don't throw away disposable piping bags
Nowadays, it's fairly easy to find what professionals use as piping bags, i.e. disposable or "single-use" plastic ones. They're practical, functional and inexpensive, but disposable? That's debatable...
3,5675 May 28th 2024
Should asparagus really be cooked in bunches?
Should asparagus really be cooked in bunches?
You'll probably read recipes here and there explaining how to cook asparagus "en botte", i.e. in a small package (the famous "botte"). Is this really the right way to cook asparagus?
2,7225 May 22th 2024
Other pages you may also like
Candied fruits: don't get ripped off
Candied fruits: don't get ripped off
Do you like candied fruit? You might like to nibble a handful or add it to a recipe, like a classic fruit cake or delicious Italian specialities like panettone or sicilian epiphany pie.
54K 24.2 June 21th 2017
The skin side of the fish first?
The skin side of the fish first?
When it comes to cooking fresh fish, if it's filleted with its skin on and you're planning to pan-fry it in a little olive oil, for example, you might ask yourself the following question: Which side, skin or flesh, should come into contact with the pan first?
19K4.4 February 13th 2021
Sugar syrups
Sugar syrups
In cooking, and especially in pastry, we often use sugar syrups, a simple mixture of water and sugar in varying proportions. Here is a presentation of their differences. .
6,5974.8 January 17th 2023
Zester like a pro
Zester like a pro
Have you heard of the microplane? It's an extraordinary tool that allows you to grate very, very finely, and therefore zest with disconcerting ease. Here's some information about it.
4,2474.9 December 25th 2020
Don't throw away your pizza crusts
Don't throw away your pizza crusts
You've probably already noticed that at the end of a pizza meal, at least half of the participants have left the crusts in the boxes or on the plates that many don't eat. Naturally, one would tend to put them "to the birds", or worse, to throw them away, and it's a shame because they are in fact...
5,2104.9 April 22th 2023
Post a comment or question
Posted by:
I am not a leaving thing
The 1 comment already posted on this page
  • Thanks for this useful post. Never knew this about Vitamin C; lemon juice is what I was taught but now will get some powder as I don't always have a fresh lemon at hand.
    Posted by Lena july 19th 2023 at 11:58 n° 1
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
I am not a leaving thing
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.

Back to top of page