Effects of Ripeness Stages on the Storage Atmosphere, Color, and Textural Properties of Minimally Processed Apple Slices

ABSTRACT: Fruit maturity is a determinative factor in maintaining the original color and, to a greater extent, the texture of minimally processed fresh-cut apple slices. Mature-green apples (because of their lower respiration and ethanol formation) were the most suitable to process for extending post-cutting-quality shelf life. Sliced apples processed at an earlier stage of ripeness, but dipped in a solution of ascorbic acid (C6H8O6) and calcium chloride (CaCl2) and stored under 100% N2, preserved their original color with minor changes. However, these processing and packaging treatments could not effectively prevent the apple slices from softening, and apple flesh underwent a progressive loss of firmness from 8.0 to 4.8 N.

[1]  S. Alzamora,et al.  New strategies for minimally processed foods. The role of multitarget preservation/Nuevas estrategias para los alimentos mínimamente procesados. La conservación "multiblanco" , 1998 .

[2]  J. Ponting,et al.  REFRIGERATED APPLE SLICES: PRESERVATIVE EFFECTS OF ASCORBIC ACID, CALCIUM AND SULFITES , 1972 .

[3]  Adel A. Kader,et al.  Quality Changes in Fresh-cut Pear Slices as Affected by Cultivar, Ripeness Stage, Fruit Size, and Storage Regime , 2000 .

[4]  A. J. Mcevily,et al.  Inhibition of enzymatic browning in apple products by 4-hexylresorcinol , 1995 .

[5]  Lothar Leistner,et al.  Food preservation by hurdle technology , 1995 .

[6]  M. Nicoli,et al.  COMBINED EFFECTS IN PREVENTING ENZYMATIC BROWNING REACTIONS IN MINIMALLY PROCESSED FRUIT , 1994 .

[7]  E. Harel,et al.  Catechol oxidases, endogenous substrates and browning in developing apples. , 1966, Journal of the science of food and agriculture.

[8]  O. Martín‐Belloso,et al.  Browning evaluation of ready-to-eat apples as affected by modified atmosphere packaging. , 2001, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[9]  D. Torreggiani,et al.  INHIBITION of APPLE POLYPHENOLOXIDASE (PPO) BY ASCORBIC ACID, CITRIC ACID and SODIUM CHLORIDE , 1993 .

[10]  A. Mayer,et al.  Catechol Oxidases from Apples, their Properties, Subcellular Location and Inhibition , 1964 .

[11]  P. Goupy,et al.  Inhibition studies on apple polyphenol oxidase , 1990 .

[12]  Adel A. Kader,et al.  Quality Changes in Fresh‐cut Peach and Nectarine Slices as Affected by Cultivar, Storage Atmosphere and Chemical Treatments , 1999 .

[13]  A. Paulson,et al.  ENZYMATIC BROWNING OF PEACHES: EFFECT OF GIBBERELLIC ACID AND ETHEPHON ON PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS AND POLYPHENOLOXIDASE ACTIVITY , 1980 .

[14]  M. Knee.  Polysaccharide changes in cell walls of ripening apples , 1973 .

[15]  R. Wrolstad,et al.  Extending Shelf Life of Fresh-cut Pears , 2000 .

[16]  P. Varoquaux.  Ready to use fresh fruits and vegetables , 1991 .

[17]  Adel A. Kader,et al.  Postharvest Physiology and Quality Maintenance of Sliced Pear and Strawberry Fruits , 1989 .

[18]  E. Senesi,et al.  Apple Wraps: A Novel Method to Improve the Quality and Extend the Shelf Life of Fresh‐cut Apples , 2000 .

[19]  J. Valle,et al.  Effects of blanching and calcium infiltration on PPO activity, texture, microstructure and kinetics of osmotic dehydration of apple tissue , 1998 .

[20]  Randolph M. Beaudry,et al.  Modeling Respiration of Apple Slices in Modified‐Atmosphere Packages , 1999 .

[21]  J. E. Lozano,et al.  Enzymatic Browning in Apple Pulps , 1994 .

[22]  Adel A. Kader,et al.  Postharvest physiology and quality maintenance of fresh-cut pears , 1998 .