Premium
Effects of ozone and chlorine postharvest treatments on quality of fresh‐cut red bell peppers
Author(s) -
Horvitz Sandra,
Cantalejo María J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international journal of food science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.831
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1365-2621
pISSN - 0950-5423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2012.03053.x
Subject(s) - postharvest , chlorine , ozone , modified atmosphere , chemistry , horticulture , softening , mesophile , food science , legume , shelf life , botany , biology , mathematics , statistics , genetics , organic chemistry , bacteria
Summary The effects of chlorine (200 μL L −1 ), ozonated water (1 μL L −1 ) and gaseous ozone (0.7 μL L −1 ) on physicochemical attributes and microbial quality of minimally processed red bell peppers were studied. In all the experiments, O 2 continuously decreased and CO 2 concentration increased, the pH augmented and a significant softening was observed in all the fruits. By day 14, L * values decreased in all the fruits, with the greatest changes found in the chlorinated samples (approximately 12 units). Peppers treated with the aqueous solutions showed greater changes in the quality attributes with increasing washing times and especially when chlorine was used. The exposure for three min to gaseous O 3 reduced the mesophiles, psychrotrophes and fungal populations of the fresh‐cut peppers in 2.5, 3.3 and 1.8 log units, respectively. Combined with modified atmosphere, this could be an appropriate method to maintain the quality and extend the storage period of minimally processed red bell peppers.