Blanching reimagined beyond enzyme inactivation: A multifunctional and sustainable approach to modern food processing

Abstract Blanching, traditionally employed for enzyme inactivation and preservation of color, flavor, and texture in food processing, demonstrates remarkable versatility in numerous exceptional applications that extend far beyond conventional uses. This comprehensive review examines the diverse and innovative applications of blanching technology, focusing on its role in enhancing the efficiency of other processing techniques, serving as a cleaning and decontamination method, and improving overall product quality. The review synthesizes current research demonstrating how blanching significantly enhances drying efficiency by reducing processing time by 15–42%, facilitates extraction of bioactive compounds with increases up to 220 times for certain phytochemicals, and effectively removes 25–98% of pesticide residues depending on the compound and conditions. Furthermore, blanching reduces microbial loads by 6.4 log cycles, eliminates anti-nutritional factors by 15–90%, and decreases oil uptake during frying by 15–30%. Novel blanching technologies including vacuum steam pulsed blanching, high humidity hot air impingement, and combination approaches offer enhanced processing efficiency and product quality. Despite these advantages, challenges remain in optimizing process parameters, minimizing nutrient losses, and scaling up operations while addressing limitations related to heat-sensitive compounds, water-soluble vitamin losses, and economic viability for low-value commodities. Future research directions include integration with emerging technologies, development of smart processing systems, and sustainable approaches. This review establishes blanching as a multifunctional processing tool with significant potential for improving food processing efficiency, safety, and product quality across diverse applications.