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Local Kadirli radises were harvested and divided into four different groups. The crops were selected according to their uniformity, and then cut manually using a sharp knife. Treatments with 1% calcium chloride, 1% chitosan coating and 1% calcium chloride + 1% chitosan coating were applied to the fresh-cut radish slice samples and stored in a polypropylene box at 0° C in the 90% relative humidity for 12 days. The treated fresh-cut radish samples were analyzed for mass loss, firmness, ethylene production, color (Chroma), sensory analysis, chemical (TSS, pH), microbiological and E.C. membrane integrity for 3-day intervals during storage. When the data obtained from the study were evaluated, it was determined that the calcium chloride application had significant effects on the mass loss (%) and firmness (N) of the samples examined, whereas CaCI2 exerted a significant impact on the firmness and E.C. (%) membrane integrity of the samples examined. According to the results of microbiological analysis, the chitosan application was found to exert a notabe effect on the development of total aerobic bacteria.

Fresh-cut leafy vegetable has an image as a healthy, nutritious, and delicious product. However, the product still faces the challenge of quality retention and short shelf life, especially in tropical climate regions. Enzymatic browning in fresh-cut leafy vegetables is considered one of the most important attributes limiting the shelf life of the product. The hurdle approach using commercial vacuum precooling in combination with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) as an alternative to the use of chemical preservatives to prevent enzymatic browning, an undesirable attribute that is easily detected by consumers, was investigated. The hurdle technology exhibited synergistic effects on fresh-cut lettuce, namely frillice iceberg, romaine, and red oak, in slowing down cut-surface browning, maintaining quality, delaying microbial growth, and extending shelf life of salad products at the retail level. The findings of the study verified the potential of the hurdle approach in delaying the effect of cutting as well as extending shelf life of the product stored at 4 ± 1 °C with 85% RH from three days to nine days with an additional unit cost of 1.05%. Therefore, our hurdle approach is anticipated as the practice with non-chemical and economical approach in the supply chain of the fresh-cut, leafy vegetables industry.

Fruits and vegetables (F&V) products are recommended for the daily diet due to their low caloric content, high amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Furthermore, these foods are a source of various phytochemical compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids and sterols, exerting antioxidant activity. Despite the benefits derived from eating raw F&V, the quality and safety of these products may represent a source of concern, since they can be quickly spoiled and have a very short shelf-life. Moreover, they may be a vehicle of pathogenic microorganisms. This study aims to evaluate the bacterial and fungal populations in F&V products (i.e., iceberg lettuces, arugula, spinaches, fennels, tomatoes and pears) by using culture-dependent microbiological analysis and high-throughput sequencing (HTS), in order to decipher the microbial populations that characterize minimally-processed F&V. Our results show that F&V harbor diverse and product-specific bacterial and fungal communities, with vegetables leaf morphology and type of edible fraction of fruits exerting the highest influence. In addition, we observed that several alterative (e.g., Pseudomonas and Aspergillus) and potentially pathogenic taxa (such as Staphylococcus and Cladosporium) are present, thus emphasizing the need for novel product-specific strategies to control the microbial composition of F&V and extend their shelf-life.

The importance of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) consumption has increased in recent years due to its significant amount of anticarcinogenic and antioxidant compounds, as well as its many vitamins. However, broccoli florets are a highly perishable product which rapidly senesce and turn yellow after harvest, resulting in losses in nutritional and bioactive compounds. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the effect of postharvest exogenous of salicylic acid (SA) and calcium chloride (CaCl2) and their combination on the quality of broccoli florets stored at 5 °C for 28 days to minimize the rapid senescence of broccoli florets. Samples treated with 2 mM SA alone or in combination with 2% CaCl2 showed lower weight loss and lower losses of chlorophyll content, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, flavonoids, and glucosinolates compared with the control samples. Additionally, antioxidant activity was maintained by either SA or SA + CaCl2 treatments while peroxidase activity was decreased. For higher quality and lower losses in antioxidant compounds of broccoli florets during refrigerated storage at 5 °C, SA + CaCl2 treatment could be helpful for up to 21 days.

Summary: Packages of ready‐to‐eat (RTE) wild rocket and lettuce baby leaves were subjected during 8 days of cold storage to a chronic temperature abuse (CTA) at sub‐optimal storage temperature (10 °C) or to a short‐term (6 h) abuse at ambient temperature (STA) to evaluate the impact of two temperature abuse scenarios on gas composition within the packages, leaf sensory quality and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In both species, the CTA scenario had a markedly higher impact on gas composition, sensory quality and off‐odour formation than the STA, and the limit of sensory acceptability was reached in the CTA scenario 4 days or more earlier than in the STA. Sulphur compounds were the main responsible for off‐odour perception in both leafy salads. Results from the present study may be useful in the assessment of critical points in the cold chain of RTE fresh produce and in prioritising actions towards improved cold‐chain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at determining the effect of sodium hypochlorite solution concentration and storage time on the characteristics of fresh-cut tabah bamboo (Giganthochloa nigrociliata) shoots and to determine the concentration of sodium hypochlorite solution and storage time to produce fresh-cut tabah bamboo shoots with the best quality characteristics. This research was conducted by using a factorial completely randomized design with two factors. The first factor was the concentration of sodium hypochlorite solution with 3 levels, namely 0, 100, 200 ppm, while the second factor was the length of storage with 5 levels, namely 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. Thus, there were 15 combination treatments that repeated 3 times therefore there were 45 experimental units. The data obtained were analyzed of variant and continued with Duncan's multiple range test. The variables observed included brightness, total sugar reduction, total soluble solids, total acid (pH), fiber content, texture and total plate count. The results showed that the concentration of sodium hypochlorite solution, storage time and interaction had a very significant effect on brightness, texture, fiber content, total soluble solids, total acid and preference for color, hardness, flavor. Concentration of sodium hypochlorite solution, storage time and interaction significantly affected the total sugar reduction and the total plate count of fresh-cut tabah bamboo shoots. The tabah bamboo shoots fresh-cut immersed in 200 ppm sodium hypochlorite solution with length of storage of up to 1 week gave the best characteristics with the brightness value of 6.58-67.25, texture (hardness) of 58.76-66.13 N/m2, fiber content of 3.47-3.56%, total sugar reduction of 0.10-0.12%, total soluble solids of 1.61-1.89 oBrix, total acid of 0.22-0.31%, total plate count of 3.20-3.41 log cfu/g, preference for color, hardness and flavor between like to very like. In addition, fresh-cut tabah bamboo shoots contain the flavor forming compounds which include acetic acid, triphenylphosphin oxide, ethyllinoleate, hexadecanoic acid and testosterone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of ozone for the sanitization of fresh-cut produce has been postulated during all steps of the cold chain from harvest to consumption. However, little is known about its effects on the postharvest quality of minimally processed spinach. In the present study, the effects of different doses of ozone on the storage life and quality of minimally processed spinach were determined and compared with sodium hypochlorite. Minimally processed spinach samples were subjected to 4 treatments: immersion in sodium hypochlorite solution (100 ppm) as control, and exposure to 3 different ozonated water (0.5,1 and 2 ppm) for 10 min. Treated spinach samples were packaged in modified atmosphere packaging and stored at 0 °C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity for 25 days. After each cold storage period, the spinach samples were kept for one day at 20 °C and 60 ± 5% relative humidity for shelf life studies. During cold storage and shelf life, weight loss, leaf color, SPAD value, respiration rate, gas composition in package, soluble solids content (SSC), and visual quality were determined. In general, weight losses of the spinach samples were delayed by ozone treatments, especially in low doses. The best suppressing dose for respiration rate of minimally processed spinach was 0.5 ppm, among all treatments. Additionally, the 0.5 ppm ozone treatment preserved vivid green color and visual quality of the spinach leaves better than those treated with higher doses and sodium hypochlorite. Although 1 and 2 ppm ozone treatments retarded quality losses by suppressing the respiration rates of spinach, some undesirable results were obtained from these doses due to their higher oxidative properties. The 0.5 ppm, therefore, can be considered as limit dose for postharvest treatments in minimally processed spinach. These findings revealed that ozonated water with appropriate doses can be used instead of sodium hypochlorite for minimally processed spinach during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh-cut lettuce is a very well-known salad for today's routines because it obliges minimal preparation to minimize the loss of health beneficial vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other phytochemicals. It is a prodigious challenge to serve its consumers fresh. Quality of freshly processed lettuce under high CO2 modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been investigated as a realistic alternative technique for its preservation. Storage under high CO2 atmospheric treatments exhibited a significant impact in microbial development, electrolyte leakage, volatile metabolites and sensory quality of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce. This storage condition (MAP 1: 5 kPa O2 and 20 kPa CO2 balanced by N2 at 7 °C for 6 days) inhibited the growth of mesophilic bacteria and yeasts; delayed the enzymatic browning (cut-edges and intact surface) of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce and overall visual quality was also in acceptance limit. The development of off-odors was perceived in high CO2 MAP as a consequence of volatiles (ethanol and acetaldehyde) accumulation which was persisted at an inexcusable level during 6 days of storage periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Browning and lignification often occur in fresh-cut apple processing, leading to quality deterioration and limiting the shelf life of products. In this study, 0.8% (v/v) phytic acid was used to improve the quality and shelf life of fresh-cut apples. From the results, the browning was inhibited by the phytic acid treatment and the browning index (BI) of the control fruit was 1.62 times that of phytic acid treatment at 2 d of storage. The lignin content in phytic acid-treated fruit significantly decreased at 2, 4, and 6 d of storage compared to the control. Phytic acid treatment also reduced H2O2 and malonaldehyde (MDA) contents, which may indicate lighter membrane damage to apples. Compared with the control, the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities decreased while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities increased in phytic acid-treated fruit. Consistent with the lignin content, the activities of phenylpropane metabolism-related enzymes phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), and 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL) were inhibited by phytic acid treatment. In conclusion, phytic acid alleviated the browning and lignification of fresh-cut apples by reducing PPO and POD activities, maintaining cell membrane integrity, and inhibiting phenylpropane metabolism.

Edible coatings (EC) with mucilage of Opuntia ficus-indica or Aloe arborescens are promising to extend the shelf life of fresh-cut fruit products by reducing weight loss and microbial spoilage. In this work, fresh-cut kiwifruits (cv. Hayward) were coated in solutions with mucilage extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica (MC) and A. arborescens (AL). We used three alternative treatments with AL or MC, MC+AL, and with distilled water as control, and stored in passive atmosphere at 5 °C for 3, 5, 7, and 9 d, respectively. For all treatments at each storage period, firmness, weight loss, color, visual quality score, respiration rate, pectin content, and microbiological characteristics were observed. The treatments with mucilage and A. arborescens applied on fresh-cut kiwi slices showed different significant effects until 9 days of storage, in terms of firmness and total pectin. Microbial spoilage analysis revealed the beneficial effects of this strategy after 3 d, particularly in terms of bacteria and yeast. A. arborescens provided a reduction of microbial activity, probably due to the higher quantity of aloin if related to Aloe species. Furthermore, the treatment with MC and AL increased the total pectin content, showing positive effects in terms weight loss and firmness. The results showed that the MC+AL treatment improved the visual score of fresh-cut kiwi fruit until 7 d of storage.

BACKGROUND The main objective of this study was to evaluate physiological and quality changes of minimally processed broccoli sprouts illuminated during postharvest storage under blue, red and far‐red LED lighting as compared to darkness or illumination with fluorescent light, as control treatments. RESULTS: Morphological and microbiological changes were determined during 15 days at 5 °C. In addition, total antioxidant activity and bioactive compound changes throughout the shelf life were also monitored. Results showed that far‐red LED lighting increased hypocotyl and sprout length, decreased microbial growth and improved the total antioxidant and scavenging activities, compared to darkness and fluorescent lighting treatments. However, it did not stimulate the biosynthesis of phenolic acids. In contrast, blue LED light reduced by 50% the total antioxidant capacity of broccoli sprouts compared to far‐red treatment, as well as morphological development. In addition, total scavenging activity was increased under far‐red LED light compared with the other treatments by 12–10% (darkness and fluorescence) and 33–31% (blue and red LEDs). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that minimally processed sprouts may benefit from LED lighting during shelf life in terms of quality, although further experiments should be conducted to optimize a proper exposure cycle and intensity aiming for use in the distribution chain. The results also open the way for further development towards the integration of this technology in the food distribution chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating antibrowning agents into the edible coating is a conventional processing technique for fresh-cut preparation. The main quality attributes of fresh-cuts, i.e., appearance color, taste and texture may be affected by coating formulation and its additives at different and sometime contradictory rates. In this study, the impacts of using alginate coating alone or in combination with citric acid and/or ascorbic acid were studied on browning index, microbial load, textural properties, and some taste and nutritional parameters of apple fresh-cut. Lowering weight loss, decline in browning index, increasing acidic taste and changes in some textural properties (hardness, chewiness, and springiness) in response to adding citric acid to the coating formula can be attributed to the competition of H+ ions with calcium cations and therefore physical alteration of forming gel features. On the other side, adding ascorbic acid, as an active antioxidant compound, led to elevated antioxidant capacity, lowered browning index, and least rates of electrolyte leakage. Totally, after 7 days of storage at 4°C, lowest values of weight loss (0.33%), microbial load (2.95 log CFU/g), electrolyte leakage (35.5%) and highest rates of lightness (96.11) and antioxidant capacity (11.03 mmol Fe2+/Kg) were detected when the coating formulation was enriched with both citric acid and ascorbic acid compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient disinfection of fresh-cut spinach poses significant health risks, along with potential issues like odor, color changes, and softening during short-term storage. To address these challenges, boric acid solutions were explored as an alternative to chlorine washes, which are known to produce toxic compounds. Among various concentrations, 1 % boric acid exhibited the most effective microbial inactivation, leading to substantial reductions in total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total yeast and mold, and Enterobacteriaceae counts, with reductions of 1.64, 1.38, and 1.77 logs, respectively. Additionally, washing spinach leaves with this solution for 1 min maintained quality parameters, with enhanced antioxidant activity (55.26 mg kg -1 Trolox equivalent), increased total phenolic content (1214.06 mg kg -1 gallic acid equivalent), retention of chlorophyll a (839.16 mg kg -1 ), chlorophyll b (539.61 mg kg -1 ) and ascorbic acid content (264.72 mg kg -1 ). Mechanical properties such as puncture strength (1.81 N) and puncture distance (52.78 mm) also showed favorable outcomes, alongside optimal moisture content at 89.81 %. Notably, residual boric acid content was lowest in spinach leaves (1252.49 mg kg -1 ) and highest in the wash water (53.88 mg kg -1 ) after treatment. Scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated maintained tissue integrity, while Hunter Lab readings indicated minimal color changes post-washing. Additionally, sensory evaluations and various physicochemical analyses further supported the efficacy of boric acid washing. Consequently, washing spinach leaves with a 1 % boric acid solution for 1 min yielded favorable results across multiple quality parameters. These findings suggest the potential of boric acid as a safe and effective alternative disinfectant in the fresh-cut produce industry, highlighting its practical implications for food safety and quality. Future research should focus on exploring long-term effects and optimizing washing protocols for broader applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Osmanthus fragrans flower flavonoids (OFFF) possess superior antioxidant and antibacterial activities. However, scant information exists on the efficacy of these secondary metabolites as preservatives for fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. Here, OFFF were tested as a natural preservative for the first time in fresh-cut Yuluxiang pear ( Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.) to assess effects on fruit quality. OFFF-treated samples showed significant retention of firmness, titratable acid, soluble solid content, and weight. Moreover, OFFF maintained the original fruit color, inhibited the decline of total phenol, reducing power and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging power, and diminished polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase oxidase activities. Furthermore, OFFF treatment effectively inhibited microbial growth. OFFF-treated samples also displayed better sensory quality. Considering cost and effectiveness, the most suitable concentrations of OFFF extract for fresh-cut Yuluxiang pear preservation were 0.7 and 0.9 mg/mL. The results indicate that OFFF treatment may be a potent strategy to inhibit browning and enhance nutritional properties of fresh-cut pear fruit., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Opuntia species exhibit beneficial properties when used to treat chronic diseases, particularly obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer; however, the presence of spines and glochids in the species’ skin that easily stick into consumers’ fingers has limited their consumption. For this study, white and orange Opuntia ficus-indica fruits from the Canary Islands (Spain) were minimally processed, packed in a passive atmosphere, and stored at 7 °C. The effects of peeling (by hand or with an electric peeler) and two micro-perforated films (90PPlus and 180PPlus) were evaluated. Changes in the quality parameters, gas composition, bioactive compounds, sensory features, and microbial safety of fresh-cut prickly pears were examined during 10 days of cold storage. Both varieties, hand-peeled and electrically peeled, were microbiologically safe (aerobic mesophiles < 7 log(CFU/g fresh weight)) and retained suitable nutritional quality after 8 days of storage. The yield was greater when fruits were electrically peeled than hand-peeled (70.7% vs. 44.0% and 66.5% vs. 40.8% for white and orange fruits, respectively). The concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide were above 15% and below 7.5%, respectively, in all the treatments over the shelf life. TSS decreased during storage independently of variety, peeling method, or film. Fructose was the most abundant sugar, followed by glucose and sucrose. The electric peeling machine improved not only the edible part of the fruit but also the contents of bioactive compounds, such as ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds.

The physiological changes and phytochemical pathways of processed watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.) undergone during storage are not well known. The objective of this work was to evaluate the respiration rate and the inherent and external quality of watercress inoculated with B. subtilis and packaged as a fresh-cut product and stored at 4 °C for 11 days. Watercress was grown using continuous flotation (FL) in a greenhouse using substrate disinfection and inoculated or not with Bacillus subtilis as a plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). The fresh-cut watercress respiration rate and phytochemical profile changed during the shelf life. The inherent phytochemical compounds were retained during the storage of the fresh-cut salad bags. The best results were found in watercress grown in a disinfected substrate but were less satisfactory when seeds and substrates were inoculated with PGPR. In general, the external quality and the pigment contents progressively decreased during the shelf life and the browning enzyme activities responsible for phenolic oxidation increased at different intensities throughout storage. At the end of the shelf-life period, the fresh weight loss of the fresh-cut product was less than 1% of the original weight. The results demonstrated that watercress grown in FL is a standardised baby leaf vegetable that is suitable for processing in the fresh-cut industry and for storing for more than 10 days. Unclear results were obtained for Bacillus subtilis in the postharvest period due to the inconsistent responses of the different analysed parameters.

Fresh-cut mango is one of perishable food products due to its high respiration, transpiration and microbial decay rate. In this study, generation of a new edible coating was chosen as an alternative method for preserving the quality attributes of fresh-cut mango. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of nanocomposite edible coating from cassava starch (SC), stearic acid (SA) and/or ZnO nanoparticles (NP-ZnO) on the quality of fresh-cut mango cv. Arumanis, stored for 12 days at 8°C. The formulations of 20 g/L SC, 6 g/L SA, and variable NP-ZnO (0, 1, 2% w/w of SC) were utilized to coat the fresh-cut mango. The result revealed that the treatment of nanocomposite edible coating was able to maintain the quality of fresh-cut mango during the storage periods. The SC, SA, and 2% NP-ZnO formulation was the most effective in reducing weight loss and microbial counts. Our study suggests that the application of nanocomposite edible coating provides a desirable method to maintain storage quality and to improve fresh-cut mango postharvest life.

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes in the quality of fresh-cut muskmelon fruit using alginate coating as the edible film at 4-6oC. A set of experiments was designed to determine the effect of various concentrations of alginate (1%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5%, w/v), glycerol 1.5% (v/v), and CaCl2 2% (w/v) on the quality of fresh-cut muskmelon fruit. Changes in fruit weight loss, reducing sugar, total soluble solids, vitamin C, acidity, and color parameters were recorded during the storage time. Sensory testing and microbiological analysis were evaluated in the last storage period. Uncoated fresh-cut muskmelon fruit stored at 4-6oC served as controls. Application of an edible coating composed of an alginate concentration of 2% (w/v), glycerol 1.5% (v/v), and CaCl2 2% (w/v) helps extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut muskmelon fruit (up to 9 days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit and vegetables are an important part of human diets and provide multiple health benefits. However, due to the short shelf-life of fresh and minimally-processed fruit and vegetables, significant losses occur throughout the food distribution chain. Shelf-life extension requires preserving both the quality and safety of food products. The quality of fruit and vegetables, either fresh or fresh-cut, depends on many factors and can be determined by analytical or sensory evaluation methods. Among the various technologies used to maintain the quality and increase shelf-life of fresh and minimally-processed fruit and vegetables, biological control is a promising approach. Biological control refers to postharvest control of pathogens using microbial cultures. With respect to application of biological control for increasing the shelf-life of food, the term biopreservation is favored, although the approach is identical. The methods for screening and development of biocontrol agents differ greatly according to their intended application, but the efficacy of all current approaches following scale-up to commercial conditions is recognized as insufficient. The combination of biological and physical methods to maintain quality has the potential to overcome the limitations of current approaches. This review compares biocontrol and biopreservation approaches, alone and in combination with physical methods. The recent increase in the use of meta-omics approaches and other innovative technologies, has led to the emergence of new strategies to increase the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables, which are also discussed herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calçots are the immature floral stems of the second-year onion (Allium cepa L.) resprouts. Modified atmosphere packaging or vacuum packaging are suitable alternatives to preserve fresh-cut vegetables. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of postharvest storage time of raw vegetable stored under controlled atmosphere and used packaging system after minimal processing on the quality of fresh-cut calçots. Calçots used for minimal processing were stored under 1.0 kPa O2 + 2.0 kPa CO2 at 1 ℃ for 30 and 60 days. Fresh-cut calçots were packaged using passive modified atmosphere packaging or vacuum packaging and were stored at 4 ℃ for 15 days. Calçots stored under controlled atmosphere for 30 days presented better retention of quality and in turn, being more suitable for minimally processing. Vacuum packaging preserved the physicochemical quality of fresh-cut calçots better after 15 days. Mesophilic aerobic counts were also higher in fresh-cut calçots stored under modified atmosphere packaging, but all counts were below the recommended limits during and at the end of their shelf-life (15 days). The most suitable conservation strategy might be to store whole calçots under controlled atmosphere for 30 days and after minimally processing, packaged under vacuum in order to extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut calçots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though fresh-cut products save our time, but they are very much prone to enzymatic browning that drastically affects product's quality and marketability. Drumstick pods are considered as super food due to high nutritional contents. However, the fresh-cut pods are prone to brown discoloration. The enzyme activities promote the softening and cut-surface browning of pods, thus deteriorates their texture, decreases consumer appeal and shortens the shelf life. So, we aimed to assess the effect of citric (1%) and ascorbic (1%) acid treatments on quality attributes of fresh-cut drumsticks at 3-d interval during storage (5 ± 1 °C). In general there was an increase in lignin and quinone contents, while phenolic content was decreased during storage. However, samples subjected to ascorbic acid dip had higher phenolic content, lower rate of lignin formation, and reduced membrane permeability. Enzyme activities (polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase) were found to increase during storage, however, samples treated with ascorbic acid showed lower activities than that of the control and citric acid treated samples. The reduced enzyme activities resulted in the reduced browning incidence and maintained the quality. Therefore, postharvest dip of fresh-cut drumstick in to ascorbic acid (1%) could be suggested to increase the shelf life with reduced browning during low temperature storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various strategies have been employed to improve the storage stability of fresh-cut lotus root, which is prone to undesirable changes such as enzymatic oxidation. In our research, we targeted the formulation of polysaccharide-based edible coatings with different ionic charges from natural gum sources, such as guar gum, xanthan gum, and chitosan, due to the limited information regarding its application as coating material for fresh-cut lotus root. We have also compared the effect of single layer coatings versus layer-by-layer deposition as edible coating techniques for fresh-cut lotus root. Our results have shown that layer-by-layer coatings consisting of xanthan gum and chitosan were the most effective among all treatments, thereby reducing whiteness color (L*) changes and weight loss up to 60% and 86%, respectively. Overall, the layer-by-layer coating technique was more effective than single layer coating, which shows a promising strategy to increase the storage stability of fresh-cut lotus root especially during transport and distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the changes generated during the refrigerated storage caused by the type of cutting and type of packing in 'Honey Gold' pineapple fruit Pineapple is a tropical fruit appreciated for its flavor and color suitable for application of fresh-cut technology. The fruits were selected, sorted, sanitized, shell, crown and heart were removed and cuts in slices, strips and pineapple cubes were obtained, packed in PET boxes, polystyrene trays with PVC and vacuum polyethylene bags. During 15 days of cold storage at 5 ± 1 °C and 85-90% of relative humidity, the percentage of leakage juice, color parameters and sensory analysis were evaluated, applying descriptive statistics and variance analysis. The pineapple sliced, without any type of edible coating, vacuum packed and refrigerated is the condition that provided the best quality attributes, potentiating a shelf-life up to 12 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pennywort (Centella asiatica) is a herbaceous vegetable commonly consumed raw as 'ulam' or salad. Consumption of raw leafy green vegetables is one of the pathogenic mechanisms that could cause foodborne outbreaks. The aim of the present work was therefore to investigate the effect of pulsed light (PL) treatment at fluences of 1.5, 4.2, 6.9, 9.6, and 12.3 J/cm² on the microbiological and physical quality of pennywort stored at 4 ± 1°C. Escherichia coli (E. coli) were inoculated onto the pennywort leaves before being exposed to PL and viewed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). PL fluences of 6.9, 9.6, and 12.3 J/cm2 significantly reduced the microbial count; however, the highest inactivation was obtained by using fluences of 9.6 and 12.3 J/cm2. The color of pennywort was not significantly affected by PL treatment applied at lower fluences of 1.5, 4.2, and 6.9 J/cm2 however, at higher fluence, 9.6 and 12.3 J/cm2 the color was affected. PL at 1.5, 4.2, 6.9, and 9.6 J/cm2 was able to retain the texture appearance of the leaves. To conclude, PL at 6.9 J/cm2 showed the best fluence to reduce total aerobic mesophilic count while retaining the physical properties of pennywort leaves and extend the shelf life to about four days. The inactivation of E. coli population was significantly higher at PL fluence of 6.9 J/cm2. It was observed that PL caused the destruction to the surface of E. coli's cell membrane. The reductions of samples inoculated with E. coli were better than those achieved in native microbiota. Furthermore, the present work also demonstrated that PL treatment was able to reduce the microbial count on pennywort leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fresh‐cut or sliced apple market has grown rapidly in recent years due to consumers' demand for fresh, convenient, and nutritious foods. Fresh‐cut apples also contributed to increased consumption of fruits among school children. However, not many studies have investigated means to improve the quality of fresh‐cut apples. In this study, we explored the use of ultrasound as a new method to cut apples and examined the quality of two apple varieties (Red Delicious and Golden Delicious) cut with ultrasound. Both apple types were cut without (control) and with ultrasound at four amplitudes (0%, 30%, 40%, and 50%) with an ultrasonic knife. Quality attributes, for example, color, pH, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, surface morphology, and sensory characteristics (color, odor, overall acceptability, and off‐odor) of the apples right after cutting and during a 2‐week storage at refrigeration temperature were compared. With the set up used in this study, both apples cut with ultrasound exhibited a relatively dense and smooth surface morphology with less cell damage compared with the relatively rough surface and more cells damage in the control. An improvement in quality attributes was observed when the ultrasound amplitude was increased from 30% to 50%. The apples cut with ultrasound had a lower PPO activity compared to the control, indicating less browning. In visual quality evaluation, panelists showed higher liking of the apples cut with ultrasound. The ultrasound‐assisted cutting has showed promise for producing fresh‐cut apples with improved quality, and may be used as an alternative to traditional cutting method. Practical Application: Fresh‐cut produce has gained popularity in recent years due to its health benefits. Traditional methods to produce fresh produce use a static stainless steel blade to cut fruits or vegetables, causing chemical or visual quality issues. This study proposed a new method using a blade that vibrates at ultrasonic frequency to cut apples. The results have shown an improvement in the quality of fresh‐cut apples. This method may provide a new solution for producing fresh‐cut produce to better meet the requirement of consumers for quality products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peach palm has regions adjacent to the heart-of-palm that are normally neglected by the industry, and have potential to be utilized in minimally processed form. We characterized three parts of peach palm, evaluating anatomical, physicochemical and physiological parameters aiming to increase the industrial yield and evaluate shelf-life of the fresh-cut product. Harvested rods were sectioned into apical, median and basal segments, and analyzed for yield, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, vitamin C, sugars and starch. Segments were sampled for anatomy and measurement of ethylene and respiration rates. After fresh-cut operations, segments were stored for 15 days at 5 °C and evaluated for surface color and carbohydrate content. The total yield based on length and fresh-mass was 85% and 70%, respectively. Hearts of palm were firmer toward the edges of apical and basal regions; the median region was the softest (14 N). The median region showed the highest SSC, 8.6 ºBrix and vitamin C, 9.4 mg ascorbic acid 100 g−1 FW, and maintained the highest ethylene production, either whole or sliced. Respiration rate of all regions decreased 1 h after segmentation, the apical region showed the highest rate, 364 mL CO2 kg−1 h−1, followed by median and basal. Yellowing and pronounced color difference occurred after two weeks of storage in all the studied regions. Partially differentiated vascular bundles were present in all regions. Based on firmness and chemical parameters, all regions have potential for use as minimally processed product and can be stored up to 7 days, maintaining the original color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of fruits and vegetables are perishable, thus finding sustainable postharvest treatments to regulate the quality of fresh produce is imperative. Recent research has demonstrated that the exogenous application of hydrogen (H 2)-associated treatments such as H 2 gas or hydrogen-rich water (HRW), hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) at optimal concentrations can significantly maintain the quality of postharvest fruits and vegetables. The understanding of mode of action of such treatments for quality maintenance and shelf-life extension of harvested fruits and vegetables has undergone substantial development in recent years. This paper addressed recent trends in functionalities of H 2 -associated treatments, summarizes the modulations led by possible mechanism of action, lab-scale production strategies, quality-regulating aspects at both physiological and transcriptomics levels, and limitations in H 2 -associated treatments for maintaining postharvest quality of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, and suggests future research directions aimed at developing sustainable H 2 -associated postharvest treatment. The key findings of this review mainly concluded that H 2 -associated treatments are proven to be promising approaches for maintaining the quality of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, notably by delaying senescence, reducing softening, alleviating chilling injury, lowering the browning, and limiting microbial proliferation by modulating gas respiratory, antioxidant, and peroxiredoxin/thioredoxin systems; phenylpropanoid, GABA-shunt, and AsA biosynthesis pathways; mitochondrial energy, cell wall, color, proline, and lipid metabolisms, and ROS and RNS homeostasis. Future research direction emphasizes the application of hydrogen nanobubble water (HNW), and H 2 -associated treatments in combination to regulate overall quality of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) is a non-climacteric fruit with a relatively short postharvest life span, being very sensitive to water loss, darkening and decay. Cactus pear is a spiny fruit, and the presence of glochids limits fruit consumption and diffusion; therefore, minimally processing, as well as peel removing, could be an opportunity to improve its availability, consumption, and diffusion in national and international markets. In this study, cactus pear minimally processed fruits were treated with a mucilage-based coating extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes and stored at 5 °C for 9 days. The effect of mucilage edible coating on the postharvest life, qualitative attributes, and nutraceutical value of fruit were evaluated by colors, firmness, total soluble solids content, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, betalains and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). Results showed that mucilage-based coating improved the quality and preserves the nutraceutical value of minimally processed cactus pear fruits during storage. The edible coating was effective in maintaining fruit fresh weight, total soluble solids content, fruit firmness, ascorbic acid and betalain content, sensorial traits, and visual score. Coated fruits showed a significantly lower microbiological growth than uncoated control fruits during the entire cold storage period.

In present work, the effects of UV-B treatments on quality of fresh-cut spinach leaves were studied. For this purpose, spinach leaves grown in glasshouse were harvest, cleaned and placed into polystyrene foam dishes and wrapped by stretch film. After packaging, fresh-cut spinach leaves were treated with UV-B irradiation and were stored at 5 °C temperature for 12 days. Total soluble solids, visual quality, L∗a∗b∗ values, and also hue angle values of samples were determined during storage. Total soluble solids content of samples in control group has been higher than those from samples in UV-B treatments, however, visual quality was lower than the other treatments. According to L∗ values of the samples, it is found that lower ultraviolet irratiation (UV-B) treatments caused yellowing of samples, and also same result was obtained by b∗ and a∗ values of fresh-cut spinach leaves. Similarly, hue angles values of samples treated with UV-B for 6 min was higher compared with the other treatments. Consequently, yellowing of fresh-cut spinach leaves was decreased, and visual quality scores of samples was increased through ultraviolet irradiation treatments.

This study determined the effect of PP1 packing film permeability of fresh-cut kiwifruit. Kiwifruit packed in an atmosphere of 17% O2 and 3.6% CO2 reached equilibrium and gave the most acceptable quality after 2 days of storage at 5°C. Longest shelf life was 8 days with lowest ethanol concentration and weight loss, highest firmness and total soluble solids. Concentration of ethanol was determined as a limiting factor for fresh-cut kiwifruit. Microorganisms grew more rapidly during storage but did not exceed the shelf life microbiological limit for fresh-cut fruit product in all treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound (US) processing has emerged as a novel food preservation technology. This strategy has proved antimicrobial effects due to cavitation, which is the formation, growth, and collapse of bubbles that generate a localized mechanical and chemical energy. This technology can be applied by water so introducing it in the washing step to obtain safe fresh or fresh-cut products could be promising. The current review provides an overview of the current knowledge and recent findings on the use of US, alone or in combination with other mild physical technologies or chemical agents, to reduce microbial loads, and to better retain their quality attributes including color and texture, as well as the content of bioactive compounds such as antioxidant, phenolic compounds, or vitamins of minimally processed fruits and vegetables. As the effects of US depends on several factors related with treatment parameters, target microorganism, and matrix characteristics, further research efforts should be directed on optimizing US processes in accordance with their further application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of a combined power ultrasound (US) and chlorine disinfection treatment on quality of fresh-cut ready-to-eat lettuce (cv. Vera) was evaluated. Fresh-cut lettuce was disinfected using 100 mg L[sup -1] NaOCl solution alone and in combination with ultrasound (130 W, 42 kHz) for different times (0-30 min). Lettuce samples (80 g) were then packaged in polypropylene (PP) film and stored at 5°C for 8 d. Application of US improved microbial reduction on processing day: an additional reduction in the range of 0.5-2.5 log cfu g[sup -1] was obtained with respect to NaOCl treatment alone. Combined US-NaOCl application did not cause visual changes to lettuce neither on processing day nor when samples were stored under refrigerated conditions in passive modified atmosphere. Confocal images evidenced that US application could affect lettuce surface wax layer, removing its natural defense against microorganisms. This resulted in higher microbial growth throughout storage in samples treated with combined US-NaOCl treatment. US appears as a promising technique for fresh-cut produce disinfection, but further studies are needed to optimize US treatment to allow important microbial reductions throughout all storage time without compromising lettuce shelf life during refrigerated storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Highlights • Chlorate uptake varied depending on the type of cut product. • Chlorate uptake increased when the cut size increased. • Chlorate uptake increased when the hydration status decreased. • Chlorate uptake increased when the washing time increased. • Chlorate uptake increased when the chlorate present in the wash water increased. Abstract During the processing of fresh produce, washing with chlorinated water may result in an unacceptable source of chlorate as a disinfection by-product (DBP) in the finished product. The differential ability for the uptake of chlorate by different fresh-cut products during washing was evaluated. Results showed that chlorate uptake was affected by the type of produce, with shredded carrots showing greater chlorate uptake than baby leaves or chopped lettuce which had intact epidermis. Among leafy vegetables, baby leaves showed greater chlorate uptake than chopped lettuce due to anatomical differences that promoted the uptake of chlorate via leaf surface. Baby leaves were characterized by a high leaf area/weight ratio, high stomatal density and intercellular spaces. Moreover, the chlorate uptake was greater when increasing the cut grade, being greater in shredded than in chopped or large cut lettuce as well as it was greater in shredded carrots than in discs or sticks. Results in baby leaves showed also that lower leaf water content and longer washing time increased chlorate uptake significantly. Chlorate uptake showed a linear response with the chlorate content present in the wash water, without a saturation effect for the tested concentrations and types of produce. In conclusion, the uptake of chlorate expressed in % with respect to the content in wash water was affected by the type of produce and cut piece size with a greater ability for the accumulation in shredded carrots followed by baby leaves and shredded lettuce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Cultivar and postharvest storage time could majorly affect the quality of whole calçots. • Antioxidant properties increased along postharvest storage time. • High microbial quality after minimal processing using 80 ppm peroxyacetic acid was obtained. • High sensorial quality in both whole and fresh-cut calçots was obtained. Abstract Pre-harvest conditions such as cultivar, cultivation site and planting time could affect the storability, quality and shelf-life of fruit and vegetables. The influence of onion cultivar, cultivation site and planting time on the storability and quality of whole fresh and roasted calçots (Allium cepa L.) was investigated. Moreover, the suitability for fresh-cut processing of four different calçots was studied. Samples from 'Montferri' onion cultivar presented the best storability. Overall, postharvest storage time had no remarkable effect on the quality of whole calçots but produced an increase on the antioxidant properties of all samples. In relation to the aptitude to minimal processing, 'Montferri' onion cultivar cultivated at Viladecans in August showed the best results in terms of quality throughout their postharvest storage time. Therefore, cultivar and postharvest storage time could have more effect than cultivation site and planting time on the quality of whole and fresh-cut calçots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pineapple is one of the most economically important fruit crops of Mauritius and is often sold after being minimally processed (MP). Unfortunately, minimally processed whole (MPW) and fresh-cut (MPC) pineapples are susceptible to microbial contamination that can compromise the quality of the products. It is therefore important that MP pineapples have optimal freshness, nutritional quality, and are free from microbial contamination which would otherwise constitute a public health hazard to the consumers. The main aim of this study was to assess the microbiological, nutritional, and physicochemical quality of MP pineapples sourced from wet markets and supermarkets. Samples of MPW and MPC pineapples collected from open markets and supermarkets were subjected to microbiological, pH, and vitamin C analyses. The MP pineapples were also challenged using the specific spoilage organism (SSO), Pseudomonas fluorescens and subsequently stored at either ambient or refrigeration temperature to simulate storage conditions of wet markets and supermarkets, respectively. Laboratory analyses revealed that the Total Viable Counts (TVC), pH, and vitamin C content for MPW and MPC pineapples sampled ranged from 4.8 – 5.5 Log CFU/g, 4.16 – 4.96, and 21.60 – 28.90 mg/100 g, respectively. Since the population density of TVC was less than 7 Log CFU/g, which usually marks the onset of microbiological spoilage, the products were considered to be of a satisfactory microbiological quality. Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference in the microbiological load, pH, and vitamin C content for pineapples sourced from markets and supermarkets. Taken together, this study reveals that MP pineapples sold in wet markets and supermarkets have a satisfactory microbiological, nutritional, and sensorial quality with a shelf-life of >7 hours and >5 days when stored at room (29°C) and refrigeration (4°C) temperatures, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) on microbial control and quality of fresh-cut banana leaves during storage were studied. Fresh-cut banana leaves cv. Tanee (TN) and cv. Klauay Namwa (KN) were sanitized with either 4°C or 27+2°C of 50 ppm acidic AEW for various times (10, 20 and 30 minutes). The sanitized sample was packed in polyethylene (PE) bag and storage at 5+2◦C for 7 days, before transferred to 27+2°C to evaluate their shelf-life. The results showed that sanitization with 4°C and 27+2°C of AEW for 30 minutes were completely eliminated the microorganism on fresh-cut samples from both cultivars. Nevertheless, these contact time had the highest loss of more than 78% after 5 days at room temperature. Sanitized samples with AEW for 20 and 30 minutes effectively delayed the microbial growth, therefore the amount of microorganism remained below EU Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 criteria after storage. The shelf-life of fresh-cut samples was 13 days and terminated after their visual appearance such as yellowing or browning occurred. Fresh-cut samples sanitization with both treatments had similar quality changes such as color changes and chlorophyll contents. However, sanitization with 4°C AEW had lower weight loss than those of with 27°C AEW during storage at room temperature. It also effectively reduced the microorganism on fresh-cut samples and had the lowest loss which was 22%. Therefore, sanitization with 4°C AEW for 20 minutes was an appropriate method to sanitized fresh-cut banana leaves for both cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract High pressure impregnation (HPI) at 100 MPa was evaluated as a means of enrichment of fruit tissue with model oil in water emulsions. Coconut oil + polysorbate (Tween 80) emulsion premix were prepared at different mass proportions [oil/(oil + emulsifier)] = 1/2n for n = 1–4), and mixed water (20:80, emulsion:water) (Emulsions I to IV) prior to impregnation. The emulsion stability for the HPI was studied by dynamic rheology, pH change, and particle size distribution analysis. Cube shaped samples (1.2 cm × 1.2 cm x 1.2 cm) were cut from apple, strawberry, pear, Asian pear, and melon as fruit tissues. The mass transfer during the HPI for up to 20 min (for emulsion-I) followed a pseudo-second order kinetics model in all fruits. The highest and the lowest final mass intake belonged to apple (18 g/100 g) and strawberry (6 g/100 g), respectively. The HPI of emulsions with different premix combinations (emulsions I to IV) was evaluated with a 20-min treatment time for all fruits. Results demonstrated that the final mass intake increased with the oil content and decreased simultaneously with an increase in the emulsifier content. Light microscopy results demonstrated the distribution of oil droplets within the water phase into the intercellular space. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Selected combinations of oil-in-water emulsions were stable under HPP. • High pressure can impregnate emulsions into a porous fruit tissue. • HPI followed a pseudo-second order kinetics model regardless to the fruit type. • The final intake increased with the oil and decreased at higher emulsifier levels. • Microstructural and FTIR studies verified homogenous impregnation of both phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Cold-stored fresh-cut green peppers can be monitored by UV fluorescence imaging. • Electrolyte leakage, an indicator of decay, increases with time though not uniformly. • Fluorescence at 688, 724, and 740 nm changes during storage though not uniformly. Abstract Unlike many of the fresh-cut popular leafy vegetables whose deterioration becomes apparent in wilting and browning, fresh-cut pepper (Capsicum spp.) undergoes subtler visible changes. The current study investigated hyperspectral fluorescence imaging as an alternative to monitor the physical changes to sliced pepper rings in cold storage (4 °C, 0–21 d). Five accessions of bell-type pepper and an equal number of jalapeno-type pepper accessions were prepared by routine fresh-cut operation and placed in cold storage. At weekly intervals, pepper samples were scanned by UV-excited (365 nm) hyperspectral fluorescence imaging (464–799 nm response range), whereupon quantitative and qualitative modeling was performed in trials to respectively a) model electrolyte leakage percentage by partial least squares regression, and b) compare storage days by linear discriminant analysis (LDA). LDA classification models were moderately successful at distinguishing post-cut storage times 0, 7, 14, and 21 d. As with previous studies on the physiological effects of slicing peppers, the fluorescence response was variable across accessions within pepper type and between the two pepper types studied, which is attributed to the complicating effects of fluorescence reabsorption and cell injury response and genotypic differences that influence suitability for fresh-cut applications among the accessions evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Process wash water and washed products from three different fresh produce processing lines were characterized at commercial scale. Different physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of wash water were measured. Great variability between processing lines on the physicochemical quality of process wash water was observed, caused in part by the type of produce washed. The relationship between lower aerobic mesophilic bacteria and higher free chlorine (FC) concentrations in wash water was detected (Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) = −0.53). Independently of the FC concentration, most of the water samples (>80%) showed presence of cultivable (limit of detection 1 CFU/100 mL), probably caused by the uncontrolled pH conditions. Higher values of FC and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) in wash water were related to lower microbial load in washed produce (PCC = −0.82, and − 0.79, respectively). Higher concentration of chlorine was linked to a higher presence of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in the wash water, and washing in chlorinated water led to a significant increase in the concentration of DBPs in produce. However, the accumulation of trihalomethanes (THMs) in process wash water was not correlated with higher concentrations of these DBPs in produce. Industrial relevance The washing step of fresh produce processing lines is a critical process. The dose of disinfectants needs to be adequately optimized to avoid microbial contamination without generating the accumulation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). In this study, critical parameters that influence the efficacy of water disinfection and the occurrence of DBPs in fresh produce processing lines were identified under commercial conditions. The results evidenced that monitoring and control of pH play a critical role by maximizing the concentration of the most active form of chlorine in the water. The parameter UV254 measured on-line in the washing tank, can be suggested as a suitable indicator of the presence of organic matter in fresh produce wash water. Highlights • Different types of produce lead to distinct wash water characteristics. • Microbial quality of wash water is difficult to maintain on a commercial scale. • Chlorine correlates with the presence of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in water. • Concentration of DBPs in produce increases after washing in chlorinated water. • Tap water rinsing reduces the concentration of DBPs in produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • % cod random peptides inhibited fresh-cut potato browning during 4 °C storage. • Cod peptides directly reduced the total phenolic content of browning substrates. • Cod peptides significantly suppressed the activities of PPO, POD and PAL. • Cod peptides could retain the membrane permeability and MDA content. • Oddly, tested concentrations of 1% and 0.01% cod peptides did not inhibit browning. Abstract Enzymatic browning is a major industrial problem of fresh-cut vegetables and fruits. Bioactive peptides are safe, nutritive and low-cost sources of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. However, there has been little research on the effect of random peptides on anti-browning of fresh-cut food. For developing more natural and nutritive anti-browning agents, the effect of the enzymatic hydrolysis of random peptides from cod fish skin on polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), total phenolic content, membrane permeability, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and color changes were investigated during fresh-cut potato storage. The results showed that 0.1% (w/w) cod peptides efficiently blocked enzymatic browning by inhibiting PPO, POD and PAL activities, reducing the total phenol accumulation during the entire 8 d storage at 4 °C. Furthermore, the membrane permeability and MDA content increases were delayed in 0.1% cod peptides treatment compared with the control. Oddly, the browning of fresh-cut potato was aggravated in 1.0% cod peptides treatment, which expressed higher POD and PAL activities. Meanwhile, the functional composition of cod peptides was a random component, which total 1765 peptides were identified by LC–MS/MS and the amino acids length of peptides were 4∼57 in the cod peptides. All the results showed that random peptides might be promising candidates as anti-browning agents for fresh-cut potato slices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Growing interest in a healthy and convenient diet causes a strong increase in the consumption of packaged fruit salads. Frequently, apple slices are a microbial problematic component. Apples are processed with their peel, which increases the consumers health risk and decreases the shelf life of fruit salads. Consequently, specific preprocessing sanitizing efforts directly during fresh fruit salad production are indispensable. Therefore, the study focused on the effective reduction of the microbial load of apples, particularly concentrating on human pathogens. Short-term hot-water treatment (HWT) actually controlled the microflora of apple surface if applied directly before processing. A HWT of 55 °C for 0.5 - 2 min efficiently reduced the natural microflora and artificial inoculated microbes on the apple peel for 2 - 3 log steps (i.e. 100 - 1000-fold) and yielded the best balance between preservation of the fruit and sanitation effect. Simply washing off the microorganisms (MOs) could be excluded as mechanism of hot-water disinfection. Due to complete waiving of any chemicals, short-term HWT is not only an efficient but also very gentle method to improve safety and shelf-life of fresh fruit salads. In addition, the proposed system could be easily and cost-effective integrated in existing production lines. Highlights • Hot-water treatment effectively sanitizes apples for use in fresh-cut fruit salads. • Treatment reduces 2–3 log steps of microorganisms from the apple peel. • Hot-water treatment is fast, highly reproducible and inexpensive. • No use of chemicals and, thus, suitable for conventional and organic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) treatment on the enzymatic browning of fresh-cut potatoes. The browning index and activities of browning and defense-related enzymes were analyzed after 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 days of storage at 4 °C. The results showed that the treatment with 20 g/L GABA for 10 min significantly retarded the browning of fresh-cut potatoes. GABA inhibited the browning of fresh-cut potatoes by enhancing the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase, and decreasing the activities of polyphenol oxidase and reactive oxygen species. The results suggest that GABA plays an important role in reducing the browning of fresh-cut potatoes. Hence, GABA treatment is a promising approach for reducing the browning and maintaining the quality of fresh-cut potatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A UHPLC-MRM method was developed for the analysis of haloacetic acids (HAAs). • The method was successfully applied for lettuce and process water samples. • Good selectivity, specificity, precision and accuracy as reference method for HAAs. • The need for HAAs monitoring in the fresh-cut industry was exposed. Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are one of the most important chlorinated disinfection by-products generated during water disinfection in the fresh-cut industry, and they can remain in the product, resulting in a consumer health risk. In this study, ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MRM) analysis used for drinking water was optimized and applied for the quantification of nine HAAs (HAA9) in fresh-cut lettuce and process water samples, with the complex matrix interferences for separation, and quantification problems. The method showed good selectivity, specificity and linearity, satisfactory values for trueness (recoveries of 80–116 %), precision (<22 %), and uncertainty (<55 %). Quantification limits varied from 1 to 5 µg L−1 or µg kg−1. The matrix effect for tribromoacetic, bromochloroacetic and chlorodibromoacetic acid was corrected by matrix-matched calibration and standard addition. After storage at -20 °C, only monobromoacetic acid was the HAA which loss happened after 7 days. The application of the methodology in lettuce and process water samples from the industry was successfully implemented. Therefore, this method could be employed for the quality control and regulatory analysis of HAAs in fresh products and process water from the fruit and vegetable industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aroma attribute and aroma compound (AOC) composition of fresh-cut flower mushrooms under different static magnetic field (SMF) intensities (2 mT, 4 mT, 6 mT, and 8 mT) were evaluated via coupling aroma sensory assessment and headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry with principal component analysis and partial least squares-relationship analysis. Results showed that aroma quality was severely loss after dicing treatment. A total of 43 AOCs were identified from flower mushrooms, and 3-octanone was the predominant compound. Application of 2 mT SMF maintained more acceptable raw mushroom-like, earthy/musty, and almond-like/roasted, and cooked cabbage-like aroma attributes of diced samples, related to maximally retaining the contents of the key AOCs (i.e. 3-octanone, 2-methylbutanal, and dimethyl trisulfide). These findings could provide a technical reference and theoretical basis for improving the aroma quality of fresh-cut mushrooms via magnetic fields and explain the mechanism of aroma enhancement. • A total of 43 aroma compounds (AOCs) were identified from flower mushrooms. • Dicing caused a severe loss of sample aroma attributes and AOCs. • Reduced 3-Octanone, 2-methylbutanal, and dimethyl trisulfide were key causes for aroma loss. • Optimized static magnetic fields (SMFs) improved aroma quality of diced samples. • 2 mT SMF, a "window" condition, best retained key AOCs and aroma attributes of diced samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh-cut produce yields mechanical damage and limits quality preservation. This research identifies the defence responses of fresh-cut broccoli (W (whole flower), F (floret), QF (quarterly-cut floret), FS (shredded floret)) during storage (0, 1, 2, 3 days) at room temperature. Consequently, changes during storage mainly occurred earlier (day 1), while fresh-cut changes primarily appeared at intense damage (FS). Uniquely accumulated quinic acid, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin, etc. were found in FS, while citric acid and glucose were exceptionally formed in W, F and QF. Importantly, a different glucosinolate breakdown system was identified in broccoli storage, encoded by myrosinases instead of TGGs in the pre-harvest system. Significant changes were also observed in the glucosinolates breakdown and de-novo biosynthesis as regulated by genes like PEN2/3, NIT, MYB122 and CYP81F1. Conclusively, candidate metabolites and genes identified in this study provide a reference for the precise preservation of cruciferous vegetables. • Unique organic acids were identified in different fresh-cut levels. • A new glucosinolate degrading system was discovered in postharvest broccoli. • Chlorogenic acid metabolism response immediately in fresh-cut broccoli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]