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Botrytis cinerea, responsible for grey mold, represents the first biological cause of fruit and vegetable spoilage phenomena in post-harvest. Kiwifruit is a climacteric fruit particularly prone to this mold infestation during storage. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are food-grade bacteria that can synthesize several metabolites with antimicrobial activity and are, therefore, suggested as promising and eco-friendly resources for the bio-control of molds on fruits and vegetables. In this work, we propose the screening of a collection of 300 LAB previously isolated from traditional sourdoughs for their ability to counteract in vitro the growth of Botrytis cinerea CECT 20973. Only 2% of tested LAB strains belonging to Lactiplantibacillus plantarum species, exerted a strong antagonism against B. cinerea. The cell-free supernatants were partially characterized and results clearly indicated that high levels of lactic acid contributed to the antagonistic activity. PAN01 and UFG 121 cell-free supernatants were investigated as potential bio-control agents in a preliminary in vivo assay using freshly cut kiwifruits as a food model. The application of cell-free supernatants allowed to delay the growth of B. cinerea on artificially contaminated kiwifruits until two weeks. The antagonistic activity was greatly affected by the storage temperature (25 °C and 4 °C) selected for the processed fruits, suggesting the importance to include microbial-based solution in a broader framework of hurdle technologies.

This research was conducted in Southern Italy over two growing seasons to evaluate the effect of strobilurin application on the ethylene production of flowers (EF) and on the yield and quality parameters of processing tomato grown under moderate water deficit conditions. The following two irrigation regimes were applied: IR100, full irrigation that restores 100% of the maximum crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and IR75, which is 75% of the amount of water of IR100. Furthermore, from the beginning of flowering two fungicide treatments were applied three times: fungicide treatment without strobilurin (ST0) and strobilurin fungicide with an azoxystrobin based product (STaz). At full flowering, ethylene production in the flowers (EF) was determined. At harvest, the main yield and qualitative parameters were evaluated. The strobilurin treatment caused a significant decrease of EF, which was less evident in the first warmer year than in the second. This result was presumably because of the interference of high temperatures on the inhibition of ethylene synthesis described for the strobilurin. In contrast, the decrease of EF due to strobilurin treatment was more evident under IR75 than under IR100. Finally, the decrease in the number of marketable fruits with respect to the EF increase was lower under strobilurin treatment presumably because of the protective effect of this molecule on the flower drop. Further studies are needed to investigate this hypothesis in greater detail.

Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) is cultivated for its large immature inflorescence, called “capitula” or “head,” of which the edible part is represented by the most inner part. It should be stored at low temperature (0°C), with exception of some varieties which are shown to be chilling sensitive. The use of controlled atmospheres or modified atmosphere packaging offers moderate to little benefit to maintaining quality of fresh intact artichokes, while some levels of O2 or CO2 may cause physiological disorders, as internal browning.

Fresh-cut artichokes are highly perishable and suffer several degradative reactions, which strongly limit their marketability. Enzymatic and nonenzymatic browning, growth of floral primordia, weight loss and dehydration, physical injury, and microbial contamination are the main causes of quality loss. While their marketability as fresh-cut products is still commonly considered very difficult, many studies identified several pre- and postharvest factors affecting quality, such as genotype, harvest time, temperature, and atmosphere composition before and after cutting, antibrowning treatments, and mechanical damages.

Fresh-cut fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. subsp. vulgare var. azoricum cv. Orion) is a very perishable crop due to the browning that affects the cut-surface, especially on the stem portion of the slices. The occurrence of browning is the main cause of quality loss and decrease of visual acceptance of this product. In the present work the effectiveness of different anti-browning solutions (0.5% ethanol, 1% L-ascorbic acid, 0.5% L-cysteine at pH 7, 1% citric acid and 0.5% 4-hexylresorcinol) on maintaining quality characteristics of fresh-cut fennel during 6 days at 5 °C in air conditions were investigated. Results showed that dipping in solutions of citric acid, ascorbic acid, cysteine and 4-hexylresorcinol, did not result in substantial improvement of the appearance of fresh-cut fennels cut-surfaces compared to water control. Among all applied anti-browning solutions, dipping in 1% citric acid and 0.5% 4-hexylresorcinol produced a more severe browning than control, in both stem and sheath cut-surfaces. Dipping for 2 min in 0.5% ethanol was effective in preserving visual quality of fresh-cut fennel stored in air for six days at 5 °C, significantly reducing the browning in both stem and sheath cut-surface. In addition ethanol is a ‘generally recognized as a safe’ (GRAS) product and did not negatively influence the aroma of fresh-cut fennel. Based on these considerations, dipping in 0.5% ethanol for 2 min could be a useful pretreatment for extending the shelf-life of fresh-cut fennel.

Natural antimicrobials (nisin, lactoferrin, thymol and citrus extract) were studied as sustainable alternatives to conventionally used NaOCl in fresh-cut (FC) fennel. Enterobacteriaceae was the most sensitive microbial group to studied sanitizers according to δ values, while psychrophiles were the most resistant. Based on inactivation modelling and sensory scores, nisin (N-250; 0.250 g L−1), lactoferrin (L-50; 50 g L−1), together with hydrolysed L-50 (LFH), were selected and studied comparing to water-washed (CTRL) and NaOCl (150 mg NaOCl L−1) on FC fennel. LFH achieved the highest psychrophilic reduction of 2.5 log units. Although NaOCl achieved the highest mesophilic, Enterobacteriaceae, lactobacilli and yeasts and moulds reductions of 1.7, 1.0

The potential of hyperspectral imaging for the prediction of the internal composition of goji berries was investigated. The prediction performances of models obtained in the Visible-Near Infrared (VIS-NIR) (400–1000 nm) and in the Near Infrared (NIR) (900–1700 nm) regions were compared. Analyzed constituents included Vitamin C, total antioxidant, phenols, anthocyanin, soluble solids content (SSC), and total acidity (TA). For vitamin C and AA, partial least square regression (PLSR) combined with different data pretreatments and wavelength selection resulted in a satisfactory prediction in the NIR region obtaining the R2pred value of 0.91. As for phenols, SSC, and TA, a better performance was obtained in the VIS-NIR region yielding the R2pred values of 0.62, 0.94, and 0.84, respectively. However, the prediction of total antioxidant and anthocyanin content did not give satisfactory results. Conclusively, hyperspectral imaging can be a useful tool for the prediction of the main constituents of the goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.).

The effects of carvacrol-loaded chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles (Np-EO) on the physicochemical, sensory and microbial quality of fresh-cut (FC) carrot slices stored up to 13 days at 5 °C were studied. Np-EO was compared to samples treated by NaOCl (100 mg L − 1 ), Np (chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles without carvacrol) or individual chitosan (0.5%) and carvacrol (0.5%) solutions. Np-EO achieved the best sensory scores also avoiding carvacrol-related off-flavours found with the carvacrol solution. Furthermore, whitening of FC carrot slices was highly reduced in Np-EO samples. Np-EO reduced microbial levels in FC carrot slices by 0.6–3.0 log units on processing day compared to untreated (control) samples. Np-EO allowed to reduce the microbial growth in FC carrot slices during the first 9 days of storage similarly to carvacrol solution. Furthermore, Np-EO highly controlled microbial loads at the end of storage showing 2.3 (lactic acid bacteria), 6.1 (yeasts and moulds) and 5.1–5.4 (mesophiles, psychrophiles and Enterobacteriaceae ) lower log CFU g − 1 units compared to control samples. Conclusively, Np-EO highly maintained microbial (2–6 lower log CFU g − 1 units compared to control), sensory (up to 2.5 better scores than control) and physicochemical quality of FC carrot slices than control for 13 days at 5 °C. Industrial relevance Natural essential oils industrially extracted from plants are potential alternative substances with high antimicrobial properties when tested in vitro . However, their microbicidal efficacy is greatly reduced due to their low solubility in washing solutions of fresh-cut products. Accordingly, chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoencapsulation of essential oils such as carvacrol is a great opportunity to increase the antimicrobial properties of carvacrol to be used in fresh-cut fruit and vegetables alternatively to conventional NaOCl sanitation.

The effect of storage conditions on flavor-related volatile composition of wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) was investigated on Modified Atmosphere packed (MAP) leaves stored under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. In a first experiment the effect of MAP was compared to the storage in air at 5 °C; a second experiment aimed to study the effect of non isothermal conditions, with two temperature abuses (at 13 °C for 24 h) during a 5 °C. Twenty-four volatiles were detected, including C6, C5, isothiocyanate, lipid-derived and sulfur compounds. In the first experiment, MAP-stored rocket showed a slower loss of typical flavour volatiles (thiocyanates and isothiocyanates) and a slower production of off-flavors until 6 days of storage, compared to leaves stored in air. After this time, dimethyl sulfide and acetaldehyde dramatically increased in MAP-stored rocket samples. In the second experiment, samples stored under non-isothermal conditions showed lower O2 and higher CO2 concentrations than samples stored under isothermal conditions. Rocket leaves stored under non-isothermal conditions showed an increased production of volatiles responsible of off-flavors (acetaldehyde and dimethyl sulfide) following temperature abuse comparing to storage in isothermal condition. Thus, dimethyl sulfide and acetaldehyde could be effective markers for tracking the effect of temperature fluctuations on rocket during storage.

Minimally processed fruits are an ideal alternative to dairy products to deliver probiotic microorganisms. At the same time, several innovative employments of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been proposed in the food industry, including bio-fortification with nutritional compounds and bio-protection against foodborne pathogenic bacteria. In this study, probiotic riboflavin over-producing Lactobacillus plantarum B2 and Lactobacillus fermentum PBCC11.5 were inoculated on fresh-cut cantaloupe by immersion in a dipping solution. The viability of probiotic microorganisms and the main physico-chemical parameters of melon pieces, including the riboflavin content, were monitored for 11 days of storage under refrigerated conditions. Finally, both probiotics were tested for their antagonistic effect against different concentrations of an isolate of Listeria monocytogenes from fruit origin. Overall, high viability of both probiotics species was found at the end of the shelf life. The main technological and nutritional parameters of the fruits were unaffected by probiotic-enrichment, except some sensorial attributes when melons were inoculated with L. plantarum B2. The riboflavin content increased about two-fold in probiotic cantaloupe. Moreover, L. plantarum B2 and L. fermentum PBCC11.5 showed a good ability to reduce the level of L. monocytogenes on artificially contaminated melons. In conclusion, the results of this work encourage further implementation of new foods with multifunctional properties.

A comprehensive study of the feasibility of hyperspectral imaging in visible (400–1000 nm) and near infrared (900–1700 nm) regions was investigated for prediction and concentration mapping of Vitamin C, ascorbic acid (AA), dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) and phenols in wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) over a storage span of 12 days at 5 °C. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) with different data pretreatments and wavelength selection resulted in satisfactory predictions for all parameters in the NIR range except DHAA. Prediction models were used for concentration mapping to follow changes over time. The prediction maps will be comprehensively study to assess the pixel to pixel variation within the rocket leaves. The PLSR models for Vitamin C, AA and phenols yielded an R2 of 0.76, 0.73 and 0.78, respectively in external prediction with root mean square errors approximately equivalent to those of reference analysis. Conclusively, hyperspectral imaging, with the correct mapping approach, can be a useful tool for the prediction and mapping of phytonutrients in wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) over time.

The effect of harvest date on post-cutting quality of two cultivars (‘ Violetto foggiano ’, and ‘ Catanese ’) of artichokes ( Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek) was studied. Artichoke heads were harvested from December 2009 to May 2010 for ‘ Violetto foggiano ’ (7 harvest dates), and from January to April 2010, for‘ Catanese ’ (4 harvest dates) from a commercial orchard in the Apulia Region, always from the same 20 randomly-chosen and labeled plants (for each cultivar). Freshly harvested artichoke heads were trimmed, cut into quarters, then stored in a humidified air flow at 5 °C. Initially, and after 2, 5 and 7 days of storage, quality parameters were analyzed, including total phenol content, antioxidant activity, color attributes (outer bract surface, cut-bract surface, and cut receptacle) and visual appearance. Global color variations (Δ E *), for receptacle, cut surfaces and outer bracts, were calculated, in order to compare samples of different initial color and to evaluate variation in terms of browning. Artichokes ‘ Catanese ’ harvested in February showed the lowest Δ E * on cut surfaces after 7 days of storage which then increased with the proceeding of the season. Also for ‘ Violetto foggiano ’ after 7 days of storage, samples harvested in February showed lowest values of Δ E * on cut surfaces (bracts and receptacle), if compared to other harvesting dates. Visual quality of fresh-cut quarters decreased with the progress of the season, and for ‘ Violetto foggiano ’, with the decrease of the antioxidant activity. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were different among harvest dates for both cultivars studied, and for ‘ Violetto foggiano ’ showed a significant polynomial trend, denoting 2 phases of antioxidant accumulation from December to February and then from middle of March to May. The natural decline of plants at the end of production may be the reason of the poor quality of cut-artichokes in the last sampling date, and in general, considering the average temperatures at harvest, quality of fresh-cut artichokes could be positively affected by the lowest temperatures occurring in February.

28 p.-5 fig, Fermented oat-based foods offer attractive prospects within the market of non-dairy functional products, since they are suitable substrates for the delivery of probiotic microorganisms, and are significant sources of dietary fiber, both insoluble and soluble such as β-glucan, good quality fat and other phytochemicals important for human health., In the present work, whole oat flour was fermented with probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum strains to produce new functional foods with improved nutritional and technological features. Viability of the probiotic and the main technological, physico-chemical, nutritional and sensorial parameters were monitored at 7, 14 and 21 days of cold storage. The microbial survival was higher than 5x108 cfu g−1 at the end of the shelf life. After the fermentation step, viscosity was higher in products inoculated with the exopolysaccharide-producing L. plantarum strain Lp90. However, a subsequent viscosity reduction was detected in all the samples throughout the storage period, consistent with the observed concentration decrease of the oat β-glucan. Vitamin B2 content was about two-fold higher in products fermented by the riboflavin-overproducing LpB2, and in these samples the riboflavin concentration further increased during cold storage., P.L., G.S. and M.T. are supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness grant AGL2012-40084-C03.

The effect of storage conditions on shelf life of purslane leaves ( Portulaca oleracea L.) was investigated. In a first trial, fresh leaves were harvested and stored under different temperatures (0, 5, and 10 °C) for 17 days. Storage temperature significantly affected color, visual quality, respiration rate, ethylene production, weight loss, vitamin C content, antioxidant activity, total phenolic and total and soluble oxalic acid contents. Leaves stored at 10 °C did not withstand the entire storage period, being judged not marketable after 8 days, while leaves stored at 0 and 5 °C were still marketable after 13 and 10 days, respectively. Samples stored at 10 °C showed a lower hue angle value and a higher chlorophyll loss compared to other samples, while no symptom of chilling injury was observed in leaves stored at 0 and 5 °C. Respiration rate significantly increased with increasing storage temperature; ethylene production was also affected by storage temperature, although values were very low ( 2 H 4 /kg/h at 10 °C). Vitamin C was more sensitive to postharvest deterioration during storage and a marked reduction was observed in samples stored at 10 °C. In addition, purslane was found to be high in antioxidants (192 mg TEAC/100 g fw, at harvest) and total phenols (471 mg GAE/100 g fw) and the decline observed during storage was influenced by temperature. A second trial was performed in order to evaluate the effect of exogenous ethylene on leaves during storage at two temperatures. Fresh leaves were harvested and exposed to air (as control), and to 0.1, 1, and 10 μL/L of ethylene for 15 days at 0 and 15 °C. Exposure to C 2 H 4 affected respiration rate, color and overall appearance but only at 15 °C and for high ethylene concentrations (1 and 10 μL/L). Leaves did not withstand the entire storage period and marketable life was about 7 days at 15 °C, except for leaves exposed to 10 μL/L of C 2 H 4 , while for all samples held at 0 °C marketable life exceeded 10 days. Loss of marketability was due to yellowing and discoloration. It is concluded that purslane is not chilling sensitive, can be stored successfully at low temperatures, produces very small amounts of ethylene and is not sensitive to a low concentration of ethylene, especially when exposure occurs at low temperature.

Broccoli raab florets were treated with 1 μL L −1 of 1-MCP for 24 h at 20 °C and then stored, together with the untreated control, at 5 °C for 14 days in a humidified air flow and air + 100 μL L −1 of ethylene. Treatment with 1-MCP markedly extended the shelf life, reducing postharvest deterioration, retarding chlorophyll degradation, and delaying visual quality loss and flowering, as was also the case with samples stored in the presence of exogenous ethylene. Untreated broccoli raab florets stored either in air or in air + ethylene showed a significant increase in ammonia during storage, suggesting stressful storage conditions. These results indicate that a 1-MCP treatment could be a good candidate for extending shelf life, maintaining visual quality and reducing loss of quality in broccoli raab florets.

BACKGROUND: Many leafy brassicas are widely used for ready-to-use salads. Broccoli raab (Brassica rapa L.), also called turnip top, or rapini, is extensively cultivated in southern Italy. The edible portion is made up of the green, immature inflorescences andthestemwithitsmosttenderleaves.Recently,interestinthiscrophasincreasedamongEuropeanconsumers;moreover,a substantial increase in consumption could come from the ready-to-use product. RESULTS:Theeffectsoffourdifferentatmospherecompositions(air,3%O2 innitrogen,3%O2 +10%CO2 inair,and10%CO2 in air)onqualityattributesofready-to-usebroccoli raabwerestudied.Controlledatmosphereaffectedappearance,composition, respiration rate, weight loss, and presence of off-odours. Storage of broccoli raabflorets under low oxygen conditions delayed post-cutting deterioration during storage at 5 ◦ C and preserved appearance and typical odour, up to 17 days. Moreover, respiration rate as well as loss of green colour, chlorophyll and vitamin C were also slowed down in this condition. Finally, in this study no effect of controlled atmosphere storage was found on total phenols content and antioxidant activity. CONCLUSION:Resultsshowedthatcoldstoragein3%O2 canbebeneficialinordertomaintainqualityofready-to-use,broccoli raab for up to 17 days. c � 2010 Society of Chemical Industry Supportinginformationmaybefoundintheonlineversionofthisarticle.

BACKGROUND: Artichoke is a rich source of bioactive compounds, mainly phenols, in the Mediterranean diet, but its consumption is limited by the complexity of time-consuming trimming operations. Fresh-cut processing would therefore add convenience to its consumption, even though the severity of post-cutting browning of artichoke pieces is still a major problem. Since susceptibility to browning may vary widely among genotypes, the choice of the cultivar is a very critical step in the fresh-cut process. In this study, five different Italian cultivars (C3, Catanese, Tema, Violetto Foggiano and Violetto Sardo) were screened for their initial quality and composition, and their post-cutting performance during storage at 5 °C and 20 °C. RESULTS: C3 showed the highest phenol content (3.4 g GA kg−1) and antioxidant activity (24.5 mmol L−1 kg−1), but the worst quality in terms of appearance and colour changes, also due to its high PPO activity (62.2 U g−1). Catanese showed the highest vitamin C content (117.7 mg kg−1), the lowest phenol content (1.8 g GA kg−1), and the best post-cutting quality. Tema, Violetto Foggiano and Violetto Sardo showed an intermediate phenol content, the latter showing the lowest appearance score after C3. CONCLUSION: These results confirmed the role of phenols in browning processes of fresh-cut artichokes, giving the first available information on artichoke cultivar suitability to be processed as a fresh-cut product. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry

Five different potato cultivars (‘Agata’, ‘Agria’, ‘Almera’, Marabel’ and ‘Vivaldi’) were cut and stored at two temperatures (5 and 20 °C) for 9 d in order to investigate their browning potential and their suitability to be processed as fresh-cut product on the basis of their initial quality attributes such as color, water content, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities, total phenolics, ascorbic acid contents, sugar composition and antioxidant activity (AOX). In addition, color changes and general appearance were monitored during storage. ANOVA results showed that the five cultivars were characterized by different initial color and yellow intensity with b * decreasing significantly from ‘Marabel’ (30.6), to ‘Agria’ (28.0), ‘Almera’ (21.6), ‘Vivaldi’ (19.6), and ‘Agata’ (16.5). Initial composition varied widely among cultivars and accounted for the different post-cutting performances. ‘Marabel’ and ‘Agata’ potatoes showed least color changes among the five cultivars, and scored the maximum for appearance when stored at 5 °C, while ‘Marabel’ received the highest score also when stored at 20 °C. ‘Marabel’ showed a relatively low phenol content (32.5 mg GE/100 g fw), low PPO activity (10.02 U/g fw), one of the highest antioxidant activities (18.02 mg TE/100 g fw) and the highest soluble sugar content (2.3 g/100 g fw). ‘Vivaldi’ and ‘Agria’ cultivars showed an intermediate potential in terms of storability and appearance, while ‘Almera’ was the less suitable cultivar to be used as fresh-cut, despite its high content in ascorbic acid (34.8 mg/100 g fw) and high antioxidant activity (23.2 mg TE/100 g fw), also showing one of the highest phenol content (46.1 mg GE/100 g fw) and PPO activity (14.7 U/g fw). A principal component analysis on the chemical and physical attributes showed a high correlation between phenol content, PAL and PPO activity, a * value, and hue angle variation at 5 and 20 °C. Appearance score, and fructose and glucose contents were positively correlated with each other and inversely correlated with hue angle variation. Score, and fructose and glucose contents allowed discrimination between ‘Marabel’ and the other varieties. ‘Marabel’ and ‘Agata’ potatoes were represented by the negative portion of Principal Component 2, while ‘Almera’, ‘Agata’, and ‘Agria’ were located on the positive axis, highly correlated with hue angle variation which was statistically higher for these varieties.

Stress responses are of particular importance to microorganisms, because their habitats are subjected to continual changes in temperature, osmotic pressure, and nutrients availability. Stressors (and stress factors), may be of chemical, physical, or biological nature. While stress to microorganisms is frequently caused by the surrounding environment, the growth of microbial cells on its own may also result in induction of some kinds of stress such as starvation and acidity. During production of fresh-cut produce, cumulative mild processing steps are employed, to control the growth of microorganisms. Pathogens on plant surfaces are already stressed and stress may be increased during the multiple mild processing steps, potentially leading to very hardy bacteria geared towards enhanced survival. Cross-protection can occur because the overlapping stress responses enable bacteria exposed to one stress to become resistant to another stress. A number of stresses have been shown to induce cross protection, including heat, cold, acid and osmotic stress. Among other factors, adaptation to heat stress appears to provide bacterial cells with more pronounced cross protection against several other stresses. Understanding how pathogens sense and respond to mild stresses is essential in order to design safe and effective minimal processing regimes.

Due to the increasing interest for healthy foods, the feasibility of using fresh-cut fruits to vehicle probiotic microorganisms is arising scientific interest. With this aim, the survival of probiotic lactic acid bacteria, belonging toLactobacillus plantarumandLactobacillus fermentumspecies, was monitored on artificially inoculated pineapple pieces throughout storage. The main nutritional, physicochemical, and sensorial parameters of minimally processed pineapples were monitored. Finally, probioticLactobacilluswere further investigated for their antagonistic effect againstListeria monocytogenesandEscherichia coliO157:H7 on pineapple plugs. Our results show that at eight days of storage, the concentration ofL. plantarumandL. fermentumon pineapples pieces ranged between 7.3 and 6.3 log cfu g−1, respectively, without affecting the final quality of the fresh-cut pineapple. The antagonistic assays indicated thatL. plantarumwas able to inhibit the growth of both pathogens, whileL. fermentumwas effective only againstL. monocytogenes. This study suggests that bothL. plantarumandL. fermentumcould be successfully applied during processing of fresh-cut pineapples, contributing at the same time to inducing a protective effect against relevant foodborne pathogens.

The quality of fresh-cut fruit and vegetable products includes a combination of attributes, such as appearance, texture, and flavor, as well as nutritional and safety aspects that determine their value to the consumer. Nutritionally, fruit and vegetables represent a good source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, and fresh-cut produce satisfies consumer demand for freshly prepared, convenient, healthy food. However, fresh-cut produce deteriorates faster than corresponding intact produce, as a result of damage caused by minimal processing, which accelerates many physiological changes that lead to a reduction in produce quality and shelf-life. The symptoms of produce deterioration include discoloration, increased oxidative browning at cut surfaces, flaccidity as a result of loss of water, and decreased nutritional value. Damaged plant tissues also represent a better substrate for growth of microorganisms, including spoilage microorganisms and foodborne pathogens. The risk of pathogen contamination and growth is one of the main safety concerns associated with fresh-cut produce, as highlighted by the increasing number of produce-linked foodborne outbreaks in recent years. The pathogens of major concern in fresh-cut produce are Listeria monocytogenes, pathogenic Escherichia coli mainly O157:H7, and Salmonella spp. This article describes the quality of fresh-cut produce, factors affecting quality, and various techniques for evaluating quality. In addition, the microbiological safety of fresh-cut produce and factors affecting pathogen survival and growth on fresh-cut produce are discussed in detail.

The shelf life of fresh-cut produce is mostly determined by evaluating the external appearance since this is the major factor affecting consumer choice at the moment of purchase. The aim of this study was to investigate the degradation kinetics of the major quality attributes in order to better define the shelf life of fresh-cut melons. Melon pieces were stored for eight days in air at 5°C. Sensorial and physical attributes including colour, external appearance, aroma, translucency, firmness, and chemical constituents, such as soluble solids, fructose, vitamin C, and phenolic content, along with antioxidant activity were monitored. Attributes showing significant changes over time were used to test conventional kinetic models of zero and first order, and Weibullian models. The Weibullian model was the most accurate to describe changes in appearance score, translucency, aroma, firmness and vitamin C (with a regression coefficient always higher than 0.956), while the other parameters could not be predicted with such accuracy by any of the tested models. Vitamin C showed the lowest kinetic rate among the model parameters, even though at the limit of marketability (appearance score 3), estimated at five days, a loss of 37% of its initial content was observed compared to the fresh-cut product, indicating a much lower nutritional value. After five days, the aroma score was already 2.2, suggesting that this quality attribute, together with the vitamin C content, should be taken into account when assessing shelf life of fresh-cut melons. In addition, logistical models were used to fit the percentage of rejected samples on the basis of non-marketability and non-edibility (appearance score