Quality of fresh‐cut baby spinach grown under a floating trays system as affected by nitrogen fertilisation and innovative packaging treatments

BACKGROUND: Alternative techniques for cultivation of leafy vegetables such as a floating tray system and unconventional gas mixtures for post‐harvest active modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) could be of interest in the minimally processed vegetable industry. RESULTS: The combined effect of three pre‐harvest fertilisation doses (8, 12 or 16 mmol N L −1 ) and three post‐harvest MAP conditions (passive, super‐atmospheric or N 2 O‐enriched) on the main quality attributes of fresh‐cut baby spinach leaves throughout 10 days at 5 °C was studied. After 8 days of shelf life, spinach leaves fertilised with 8 and 16 mmol N L −1 and stored under N 2 O‐enriched MAP showed the lowest microbial growth, with good sensory quality. Such combined treatments also preserved the total antioxidant capacity sampled at harvest (8 g ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity kg −1 f.w.). A decrease of 10–20% in total vitamin C content regardless of N fertilisation and packaging treatment was found during shelf life. Total phenolics content at harvest was 2 g gallic acid equivalents kg −1 f.w., which was slightly decreased or preserved during shelf life while total chlorophylls were preserved for all treatments assayed around 550 mg kg −1 f.w. CONCLUSION: No clear effect of fertilisation doses was observed during post‐harvest storage on overall quality of fresh‐cut baby spinach leaves, while N 2 O‐enriched atmospheres seems to be a promising alternative to passive MAP for extending shelf life. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry