Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables

ISBN-10: 1681177021
ISBN-13: 9781681177021
Series: Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables
Pages: 304
Language: English
Published: 2017-02
Author: Andrick Cuevas

Description

Fruit and vegetable production and consumption globally have shown a marked upward trend over the past several years. Rising consumer demand in the world has come with greater awareness of food safety issues and increased need for convenience and quality. The fresh-cut produce sector has responded to these demands, and is currently at different stages of development across the globe. Assuring the safety and quality of fresh-cut produce necessitates the selection of high quality horticultural produce for processing, and the implementation of good practice during processing operations in order to maintain produce quality and assure safety of the final product. The book highlights the use of emerging technologies to ensure microbiological stability and quality of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. In particular, the aim of the content is to give an insight into the current knowledge on the technologies mostly suggested to ensure microbiological stability and quality of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, in order to marketing and supply information about this subject which remains still a major challenge for the food industry. The book provides helpful guidelines to the industry for minimizing deterioration, keeping the overall quality, and lengthening the shelf life. Technology, physiology, quality, and safety of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are emphasized. It is well known that processing of fruit promotes a faster physiological deterioration, biochemical changes and microbial degradation of the products which may result in degradation of its colour, texture and flavor, even when only slight processing operations are used. Prior to being packaged for consumption, minimally processed fruits are subjected to one or more mild unit operations, which include washing, sanitizing, peeling, cutting and/or slicing, dicing, shredding, etc. It is important to underline that cutting increases the area of injured tissues favoring elevated respiration, promoting further rapid deterioration and microbial proliferation.