3.3. Comparison of model prediction with independent data
Predicted vitamin C concentrations were compared to concentrations measured in green beans during a canning process and not used to build the model. These were obtained from diverse sources: (i) a fraction of fresh unprocessed green beans aimed to canning in the modeled chain and processed on a pilot canning chain, (ii) green bean samples collected at several steps of the modeled processing chain, both analyzed for vitamin C concentration, and (iii) a survey of the scientific literature on vitamin C losses in green beans along a canning process.
Observed vitamin C concentrations at different processing steps were included in the 95% variability interval of predictions (Fig. 3). Most observed values (Supplementary data Table S2) were greater than the predicted mean value after blanching and after a 1 month storage period whereas they were under the mean level after 6 months, 12 months and 24 months. This illustrated a possible overestimation of chemical degradation at some stages of processing.