Open AccessSHELF‐LIFE OF FRESH‐LIKE READY‐TO‐USE DICED SQUASH
Author(s) -
ROURA SARA INÉS,
MOREIRA MARÍA DEL ROSARIO,
VALLE CARLOS ENRIQUE DEL
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of food quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.568
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1745-4557
pISSN - 0146-9428
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4557.2004.tb00640.x
Subject(s) - titratable acid , squash , ascorbic acid , chemistry , brix , relative humidity , shelf life , food science , water content , horticulture , sugar , biology , physics , geotechnical engineering , engineering , thermodynamics
The shelf‐life of fresh‐like ready‐to‐use diced squash during storage for 16 days at 10–12C and 95% of relative humidity was investigated. The ascorbic acid (AA) content, moisture, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, pH, weight loss and microbiological counts were determined. At the end of storage, a 1.5% weight loss was observed. Water content did not show significant changes during storage. The soluble solids content and the Brix/titratable acidity ratios increased during storage, following a linear correlation. The evolution of AA content followed a 2° polynomial correlation, with a maximum between 7–9 days of storage and a final value of 17 mg AA/100 g of fresh weight. The total microbial count increased continuously throughout storage but showed an acceptable level until day 10.