76C-22 |
Shelf life of minimally processed guavas stored in modified atmosphere packages |
L. M. PEREIRA1, A. C. C. Rodrigues, R. L. Cunha, C. I. G. L. Sarantópoulos, and M. D. Hubinger1. (1) Dept. of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Engineering, State University of Campinas, P. O. Box 6121, 13083-970 Campinas, Brazil The current consumption trend of fresh and natural products has promoted the development of new technologies based only in light processes to maintain the product freshness and improve its resistance to degradation. The application of mild osmotic dehydration and modified atmosphere packaging may extend the shelf life of fresh-cut or minimally processed fruits, providing a good quality product through the addition of sensory ingredients and establishing the ideal atmosphere to store the product. Guavas (var. Paluma) processed by mild osmotic dehydration were packed in Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) trays and stored at 5ºC with the objective to evaluate the modified atmosphere and osmotic dehydration influence on product shelf life. Non-treated guavas packed in PET trays and in atmospheric air were used as control. Weight loss, color (L*, a* and b*), stress at failure, microbial spoilage and oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in the packages were evaluated during the product shelf life. The guavas were submitted to a sensory analysis and the purchase intention was also evaluated. The modified atmosphere packages with low O2 and high CO2 had strong influence on the preservation of color, texture and weight loss of the guavas. Significant changes were found in texture due to osmotic dehydration, but the color of the fresh fruit remained unchanged. Fresh guavas packed in PET trays showed a reduced shelf life due to off-flavor at the 10th day of the storage. Fresh guavas held in atmospheric air had a larger shelf life, however showing microbial spoilage after 21 days. The osmotic dehydrated guavas showed good conditions for consumption during the 24 days of storage. The combination of storage temperature, modified atmosphere packages and osmotic dehydration process provided a 24-day shelf life to the minimally processed guavas, resulting in a microbiologically more stable product with better sensory attributes than the control samples.
Session 76C, Fruit & Vegetable Product: Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
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