The Processing Technology and Quality Evaluation of Cantonese-style Moon Cakes: A Review

Cantonese-style moon cakes are traditional Chinese baked foods, which are deeply loved by consumers due to their characteristics of thin skin with plump stuffing, golden color and delicate taste. However, during the processing and storage process, Cantonese-style moon cakes are easily affected by raw materials, baking conditions, microorganisms and other factors, which will reduce the product quality, and eventually cause economic losses and food safety issues. In this paper, the classification and nutritional value of Cantonese-style moon cakes are firstly summarized. In addition, the processing technology of Cantonese-style moon cakes is systematically expounded, mainly from the raw materials (flour, oil, converted syrup, filling), baking conditions and cooling packaging. Furthermore, the quality evaluation indicators and methods of Cantonese-style moon cakes are reviewed from three aspects: edible quality, physicochemical properties and security. Finally, the existing problems and key research directions of Cantonese-style moon cakes are summarized and prospected.