Effect of the Sous-Vide Method on the Quality of Vegetables—A Review

TL;DR

This paper reviews how the sous-vide method improves vegetable quality by preserving nutrients, texture, and safety compared to traditional cooking methods.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of sous-vide's unique benefits for vegetable quality and food safety in modern gastronomy.

Findings

Sous-vide retains more vitamins, phenolics, and minerals in vegetables than conventional methods.

The method preserves color, texture, aroma, and reduces water and volatile losses in vegetables.

Sous-vide improves food safety, shelf life, and reduces waste in food service.

Abstract

Modern gastronomy strives to combine high-quality food with the preservation of nutritional value, microbiological safety, and the sustainable use of raw materials. With the development of culinary technologies, precise heat treatment methods are gaining increasing importance, enabling better process control and more consistent quality results. This analysis aims to present the effects of the sous-vide (SV) method on the quality of vegetables in comparison with conventional heat treatment methods, such as boiling in water, steaming, cooking under increased pressure, cooking in a microwave oven, baking, grilling, and the cook-vide method. Analysis of the scientific literature has shown that the sous-vide method usually allows for the retention of greater amounts of vitamins (especially vitamin C), phenolic compounds and minerals, resulting in products with higher nutritional value and bioavailability of bioactive ingredients. Maintaining a controlled, low temperature in a vacuum environment reduces the loss of water and volatile components, which has a positive impact on the process yield as well as the color, texture, and aroma of vegetables. SV processing enhances product digestibility, preserves natural appearance, and improves food safety. Due to its hermetic packaging and limited oxygen access, this method ensures good microbiological quality and extends product shelf life. In the food service industry, SV allows for repeatable results, high sensory and technological quality, and reduced food waste. In the context of contemporary nutritional challenges and the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, sous-vide technology is gaining importance as a method supporting food safety, sustainability, and efficient resource management in the food service industry.

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