Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The shelf life of 'Nam Dok Mai' mango cubes was
found to be 3 days at 1 C, 2 days at 5 C, and
der the product unsafe. Rattanapanone et al. (2001) reported
that the marketable period of fresh-cut 'Tommy Atkins' and
'Kent' mango cubes was 3-5 days at 10 C and 5-8 days at
5 C. Allong et al. (2000) showed that firm-ripe 'Graham'
and half-ripe 'Julie' mango slices had a shelf life of 8 days
at 5 C and 10 C, respectively. The shelf life of 'Carabao'
mango cubes was 4-6 days at 5 C and 3-4 days at 13 Cand
was affected by maturity (Izumi et al., 2003), whereas the
shelf life of 'Nam Dok Mai' mango cubes was only 3 days
at 1 C, 2 days at 5 C, and < 1 day at 13 C (Poubol and
Izumi, 2005b). Innovative processing technologies, such
as UV-C treatment, prevent both oxidation and membrane
damages as well as concomitant reduction in chilling in-
jury symptoms and decay. The UV-C irradiation appears to
be a good technique to improve the total antioxidant ca-
pacity of fresh-cut mango (Gonzalez-Aguilar et al., 2001,
2004).
1day
at 13 C in air (Poubol et al., 2008). Low O 2 atmospheres
(0.5%, 1%, and 2%) extended the shelf life by an extra day
at all temperatures by retarding the browning and water-
soaked condition. Respiration rates were not suppressed by
low O 2 atmospheres at 1 and 5 C but were suppressed
at 13 C.
High CO 2 atmospheres retarded the development of
water-soaked condition in 'Carabao' mango cubes at 5 C
and 13 C and 'Nam Dok Mai' cubes at 5 C. Texture of
'Carabao' cubes was enhanced by high CO 2 , but ethanol
and ascorbic acid contents were not affected at 5 Cand
13 C (Poubol and Izumi, 2005b). The shelf life of mango
cubes prepared from color break and partially ripe mangoes
stored in air at 5 and 13 C was 4-6 days and 3-4 days,
respectively. Low O 2 atmospheres reduced respiration rate
of cubes prepared from partially ripe mangoes and stored
at 5 C (Poubol and Izumi, 2005a).
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Food safety considerations
The microbial safety of fresh-cut mangoes during storage
is very important. During the preparatory steps of mini-
mal processing, the natural protection of fruit is removed
and they become highly susceptible to microbial spoilage.
In addition, cross-contamination may occur during cutting
operations because sanitation of the whole fruit may not
have been carried out properly. Leakage of juices and sug-
ars from damaged tissues allows the growth of some species
of yeasts and fermentation.
Changes in the microbial population in packaged fresh-
cut produce are expected. The high humidity conditions
within a package and the presence of a large area of cut
surfaces, which provide a rich source of nutrients, create an
environment conducive to growth of micro-organisms. The
type and growth rate of the micro-organisms present will
be greatly influenced by the product temperature over time,
relative humidity, atmosphere, and intrinsic factors such as
pH, water content, and nutrients. Proliferation of micro-
organisms on the surface of fresh-cut fruit is currently re-
tarded or inhibited by using low storage temperature, MAP,
and antimicrobial compounds.
Some of the whole or cut mango treatments reported in
the literature include chlorinated water (Ngarmsak et al.,
2005; Souza et al., 2005), peroxyacetic acid dips (Narciso
and Plotto, 2005), and ethanol vapor application as a ripen-
ing inhibitor on whole mangoes to extend fresh-cut mango
shelf life (Plotto et al., 2006). When applied at optimum
levels and in combination with other hurdle technologies,
all these treatments can improve the food safety of fresh-cut
mango products.
Modified atmosphere packaging
The application of MAP significantly improves the quality
and shelf life of fresh-cut fruits. The desiccation problem
of fresh-cut mangoes is minimized if slices are stored in
MAP that maintains very high humidity with low air move-
ment. The shelf life of fresh-cut mango pieces (cv. 'Nam
Dok Mai') coated with mango film and packed in MAP
was 6 days at 5 C and 4 days, at 30 C (Sothornvit and Rod-
samran, 2010). The shelf life of fresh-cut mango slices (cv.
'Nam Dok Mai') under MAP with 5% O 2 and 10% CO 2 in
oriented propylene film at 5 Cwasextendedupto13days
(Apichartvorasilp et al., 2005).
Chauhan et al. (2006) found a synergistic effect of phys-
ical conditioning in combination with additives based min-
imal processing and MAP/CA storage conditions to give
longer shelf life to pre-cut mango. Shelf life of 14-46 days
was obtained for pretreated (using firming, antibrowning,
antimicrobial agents and UV conditioning) mango cv. 'Arka
Anmol' slices stored at 8 C.
Factors affecting shelf life of fresh-cut mangoes
The shelf life of fresh-cut mangoes is affected by cultivar
type, fruit ripeness stage, packaging, and storage temper-
ature. Maintenance of appropriate temperatures across the
fresh-cut value chain is of critical importance after process-
ing. Any fluctuations in storage or shipping temperatures
and relative humidity can seriously jeopardize the antici-
pated shelf life of fresh-cut mangoes. Moreover, tempera-
ture fluctuations can accelerate microbial growth and ren-
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