Uptake of thiol anti-browning agents by cabbage on blanching and reactivity during dehydration

The uptake of the anti-browning agents, mercaptoethanesulphonic acid, cysteine, N-acetylcysteine, glutathione and leucinylcysteine (leu-cys), by cabbage from blanch liquor at pH 5.8 is measured and used to obtain the amounts of these thiols which undergo reaction when the vegetable is subsequently dehydrated. This behaviour is compared with that of sulphite species S(IV). The most reactive thiol was leu-cys, which was also found to be a better anti-browning agent than S(IV).