Physiology of lightly processed fruits and vegetables

ducin a atada lene fruit uit, cteric g. 2). lene lso der, Fig. 1. Wound ethylene production at 20C by tomato pericarp disks cut from the blossom, equator, and stem regions of mature green fruit. Data are means The physiology of lightly processed (LP) fruits and vegetable essentially the physiology of wounded tissue. This type of proces involving abrasion, peeling, slicing, chopping, or shredding, dif from traditional processing in that the tissue remains viable “fresh”) during subsequent handling. Thus, the behavior of the ti is generally typical of that observed in plant tissues that have wounded or exposed to stress conditions. This behavior incl increased respiration and ethylene production, and, in some c induction of wound-healing processes. Other consequences of w ing are chemical or physical in nature, such as oxidative brow reactions and lipid oxidation, or enhanced water loss. Appearan new RNA and protein species in wounded tissue provides eviden genomic control of the response. Many factors may affect the intensity of the wound response i tissues. Among these are species and variety, stage of physiol maturity, extent of wounding, temperature, O 2 and CO2 concentrations, water vapor pressure, and various inhibitors. Wounded tis undergo accelerated deterioration and senescence. Minimizin negative consequences of wounding in LP fruits and vegetable result in increased shelf life and greater maintenance of nutriti appearance, and flavor quality in these products. Reviews of physiological aspects of lightly processed prod (LPP) that have appeared in recent years include Huxsoll et al. (1 King and Bolin (1989), Rolle and Chism (1987), and Watada e (1990). Miller’s (1992) review of the postharvest physiology mechanical stress in fruits and vegetables is germane to this d sion, as are Shewfelt’s (1987) review of quality aspects and Kle (1987) review of nutritional consequences of lightly processing fr and vegetables.