The Effects of Produce Washes on the Quality and Shelf Life of 'Cantaloupe' (Cucumis Melo var. Cantalupensis) and 'Watermelon' (Citrullus Lantus var. Lanatus)
Autor: | Aura Daraba, Amanda Svoboda, Angela M. Shaw, Aubrey F. Mendonca, Lester A. Wilson, Ajay Nair |
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Rok vydání: | 2016 |
Předmět: |
0301 basic medicine
Melon 030106 microbiology Population Safe handling Shelf life 03 medical and health sciences chemistry.chemical_compound 0404 agricultural biotechnology Botany Safety Risk Reliability and Quality Hydrogen peroxide education education.field_of_study Color quality biology food and beverages 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences Antimicrobial biology.organism_classification 040401 food science Horticulture chemistry Environmental science Cucumis Food Science |
Zdroj: | Journal of Food Quality. 39:773-779 |
ISSN: | 0146-9428 |
Popis: | Our research objective was to evaluate the ability of produce washes to maintain the texture and color quality attributes of watermelon and cantaloupe while reducing the levels of natural fungi population on the melon surface. Melons were submerged for 2 min into either water control or water containing quaternary ammonium chloride (300 ppm) or an 18% hydrogen peroxide and 12% peroxyacetic acid combination (100 ppm), or an acetic acid, peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide combination (0.78%). Microbial analysis and instrumental measurements were utilized to assess the melons on day 0, 7, 14 and 21 in three separate trials. The experimental results indicated no reduction of fungal contaminants and no changes in firmness or color of melons following the applied treatments over the time of the study (P > 0.05). Additionally, the results provided evidence of extension of shelf life due to application of the tested washing solutions onto the watermelons or cantaloupe. Practical Applications Concerns over microbial safety in the melon industry prompted the use of intervention treatments to reduce foodborne pathogens. New formulations of antimicrobial treatments have created a wide variety of washing treatments that the melons producers can utilize in their production system. Research has shown that many of these formulations have antimicrobial effects, but little data have shown whether quality affects will result. This fact has caused growers' to hesitate using such products. The results of this work indicate that the chosen produce sanitizers did not reduce the quality of whole melons following washing treatments. Information provided by this work will be utilized to communicate benefits of surface washing in the melon industry, and to promote sanitation and safe handling practices through extension education. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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