Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
related to a series of chemical compounds
responsible for the perception of the
structure, such as pectin, cellulose, hemi-
celluloses and proteins (Martínez-Madrid
et al ., 2000).
Sometimes, the term texture includes
some mechanical properties, which cannot
be of interest to the consumer, such as resist-
ance to mechanical damage or transport.
The texture is altered throughout the shelf
life of the product, so it can only be referred
to at the time of evaluation.
Measurements of texture, nowadays,
are considered critical indicators of the
non-visual aspects of quality. The complex-
ity of the texture allows for its complete
measurement only by means of sensorial
evaluation (valuation panels), although
instrumental measurements are preferable,
whenever possible. There are many meas-
urements that relate to textural attributes,
normally the more precise ones being those
that use destructive methods (Abbot and
Harker, 2003).
Obtaining a high quality product
depends on the expression of the genetic
characteristics of the chosen cultivar under
the ecological conditions in which it is
cultivated.
The study of the nutritional value and
the beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables
on human health has become increasingly
relevant in recent years (Desjardins and
Patil, 2007; Patil et al ., 2009).
The control of the pre-harvest condi-
tions, of an environmental nature (tem-
perature, humidity, radiation, soil, rain)
and cultural nature (nutrition, irrigation,
pruning), is not enough to achieve a good
quality product, as the ripening stage of
the fruits at the time of harvesting is the
factor that plays an essential role in the
sensorial qualitative characteristics. This
is because the production of compounds
such as the aromas that contribute to the
flavour take place, mainly, in the advanced
stages of the ripening process (Martínez-
Madrid et al ., 2000).
An early harvest has advantages for dis-
tribution of the product, as the texture is
maintained for a longer period extending
the shelf life, but this is to the detriment
of its sensorial quality, at least in non-
climacteric fruits.
15.7
Food Safety: Traceability
Food safety is increasingly important for the
consumer. The two main causes of lack of
food safety are: (i) microbial toxins; and
(ii) the contamination by faecal microorgan-
isms (Sholberg and Conway, 2003). Another
cause of lack of food safety is the presence
of pesticide residues in the products, when
the phytosanitary defence is inappropriate.
'Cold pasteurization', which is the use
of non-thermal radiation, does not solve the
majority of the microbiological problems,
so prevention becomes the best method
(Gorny and Zagory, 2003). Washing the fresh
vegetables with chlorinated water before
they are consumed is a recommended prac-
tice, because, although it does not sterilize,
at the very least, microbial populations are
drastically decreased.
The prevention of the product's con-
tamination is the only way to minimize the
risks and to achieve healthiness and food
safety, so the systems that provide food
safety are based in prevention programmes
of good practices, during the production
and processing of the food (Gorny and
Zagory, 2003).
Among the good practices of preven-
tion programmes traceability plays a key
role. Traceability is a set of pre-established
procedures that inform on the history, the
location and trajectory of a product or a
batch of products throughout the food chain,
in all the production, processing and distri-
bution phases (Photo 15.5). The establish-
ment of traceability systems is a good
solution to combat the mistrust of the con-
sumers that has arisen from various differ-
ent food crises, allowing for better control
and warranty of quality and safety for the
consumer (Belloso, 2003).
Traceability contributes to relaying to
the consumer, through the commercial
channel, detailed information of the history
of the product. Despite its great interest to
quality control and food safety, traceability
 
 
 
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