SOP: Determination of Maturity of Peas Using a Tenderometer

GIFSQ — Global Institute for Food Safety & Quality

Principle

As peas mature they become tougher and offer more resistance to cutting. In the texturometer for peas, a grid of blades is rotated at a constant speed through a second grid of peas so that the force on the second grid is counter-balanced by a pendulum; as the peas are cut by the blades, the maximum force is indicated by the angular movement of the pendulum, read on a graduated scale. The reading is the official index of pea maturity for canning.

Apparatus required

• Pea texturometer (tenderometer): grid of rotating blades, fixed second grid, counter-balancing pendulum with pointer over a graduated scale

Procedure

Charge the instrument with the peas to be tested

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Rotate the blade grid at the constant instrument speed through the second grid, cutting the peas

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Read the maximum force indicated by the angular movement of the pendulum on the graduated scale

Calculation

• A value of 90–95 indicates fancy quality peas.
• A value over 100 indicates a lower grade standard; peas testing 100–180 may be expected to yield a substandard end-product.

The Maturometer, the Kramer Shear Press and the Ottawa Texture Measuring System have also been used for determining the maturity of peas.

Precautions

• Test at the same product temperature for comparable readings.

References

Ranganna, S., Handbook of Analysis and Quality Control for Fruit and Vegetable Products, 2nd edition.