Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
indentation of large areas of the flesh with little external
mycelial growth (Agblor and Waterer, 2001).
Postharvest fungal rots can be controlled by: (1) prehar-
vest application of fungicides; (2) harvesting good melons
only and avoiding wounds during the harvest; (3) cool-
ing the fruit without any delays right after the harvest; (4)
postharvest treatments, such as hot water dips or fungicide
treatments; and (5) avoiding marketing delays (Agblor and
Waterer, 2001).
Minimally processed/fresh-cut cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is gaining popularity as a fresh-cut fruit in su-
permarkets, which is consistent with an increasing trend of
fresh-cut fruits in recent years. Fresh-cut fruits are more
perishable than intact fruits (Watada et al., 1996) as a result
of chemical and physical stresses during its processing, han-
dling, and storage. The key components that affect fresh-cut
products' quality are temperature, humidity, atmosphere,
and sanitation (Watada et al., 1996; Watada and Qi, 1999).
The typical steps involved in fresh-cut cantaloupe pro-
cessing are as follows: Grading raw fruit
→
Washing to
remove field dirt and debris
Postharvest food safety
The microstructure of the netting on cantaloupe rinds
provides an environment that favors bacterial attachment
(Ukuku and Fett, 2006), including biofilms (Annous et al.,
2005), which can be transferred from the rind to the edi-
ble flesh when the fruit is cut (Parnell et al., 2003; Ukuku
and Sapers, 2001). Cantaloupes have been linked to food-
borne illnesses caused by
Salmonella
or
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 (Bowed et al., 2006). In most cases the source of
contamination cannot be determined. Contamination from
human contact can arise during or after harvest; moreover,
storing cut melons at room temperature or other warm con-
ditions such as in a hot car or at a picnic can lead to rapid
growth of harmful bacteria on the flesh (Parnell et al., 2003).
Munnoch et al. (2009) suggested that since cantaloupe pro-
duction and processing practices pose a potential public
health threat, regulatory and educational interventions are
required for better food safety. Cantaloupe flesh is at neu-
tral to basic pH, and the netting may harbor pathogens that
are difficult to remove, the FDA mandates that fresh-cut
cantaloupe be stored
<
5
◦
C to slow down microbial growth
since it is considered a potentially hazardous food, posing
a food safety risk (FDA, 2008).
Postharvest sanitizer treatment, safe handling, and
storage of cantaloupes in clean environment can minimize
risks associated with fruit contamination. Fouladkhah and
Avens (2010) reported that a thermal water immersion
(95
◦
C) for 2 min in primary processing of fresh melons
can result in a 3-log reduction of natural microflora surface
contamination.
→
Sanitizer dip and/or other
treatments (e.g., mild heat by hot water)
→
→
Peeling
Cutting into cubes or wedges/slice
Antimicrobial dip,
other treatments (UV-C, irradiation), and/or edible coating
→
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Packaging in rigid containers (polystyrene clamshells)
and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP, optional)
→
Label
Store and market at low temperature.
The rind (exterior surface) of cantaloupe is more diffi-
cult to clean than smooth, waxy melons (honeydew and
watermelon); therefore, mechanical removal with brushing
in combination with an approved antimicrobial agent is es-
sential prior to cutting and rind removal (Suslow, 2002).
Suslow (2002) suggested the following guidelines for safe
processing of fresh-cut melons: (1) proper temperature
management (cold chain control) is important for qual-
ity and safety management but cannot be relied on alone to
provide sufficient consumer protection from potential food-
borne illnesses; (2) only good-quality fruit should be used
that is free from open wounds or defects, and one should
avoid fruit that has visible sunken areas or areas of mold or
decay; (3) product flow should be linear, that is, incoming
product should not cross paths with or be stored next to
cleaned or processed product; (4) worker traffic flow and
activities should not move between packing and receiving;
(5) one should develop specific worker training programs
for fruit handling and processing to prevent bare-hand or
gloved-hand contact of noncleaned fruit rind and cut fruit
flesh, in sequence, by the same individual; (6) antimicrobial
chemicals should be used to help minimize the potential for
microbial contamination to be spread by process water; lev-
els of antimicrobial chemicals must be routinely monitored
and recorded to ensure they are maintained at appropriate
levels; and (7) special attention to water quality is required
for common wash tank or flume systems and any recircu-
lated water (Suslow, 2002).
Fresh-cut processing of melons (all three types discussed
in this chapter) results in changes in a number of quality at-
tributes: color, sweetness, firmness (Portela and Cantwell,
1998), vitamin C contents (Beaulieu and Lea, 2007), ethy-
lene and respiration rate (Aguayo et al., 2007), microbial
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Processing and processed products
Cantaloupes are consumed mainly in the fresh form. Unlike
many other tropical and subtropical fruits, cantaloupes are
not processed into canned, frozen, or dehydrated products.
With an increasing demand for fresh-cut fruits, the ma-
jor “processed” form of cantaloupes is the fresh-cut-type
products. Any other processed products from cantaloupe
are still in the research and development stage or cater to a
very limited market in different countries.
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