Low oxygen levels and light exposure affect quality of fresh-cut Romaine lettuce

This study aimed to examine the effect of modified atmosphere (MA) storage on the quality and storability of romaine lettuce. Whole and fresh-cut romaine lettuce were packaged with 1300; 10,000; 50,000; 100,000 cc m−2·day−1·atm−1 O2 transmission rate (OTR) films and stored at 2 or 8 °C for 15 days. The respiration and ethylene production rates before pre-cooling were higher in fresh-cut lettuce than in whole romaine lettuce. The reduction in fresh weight for whole and fresh-cut romaine lettuce during storage was less than 0.5%. The CO2 concentration was less than 2%, except for the 1300 cc treatment (at 8 °C for whole and fresh-cut lettuce) and 10,000 cc (in fresh-cut lettuce). At the end date of storage, the overall quality of the whole lettuce was good, the off-odor was lower in the 10,000 cc treatment, and the 50,000 cc treatment at 8 °C led to good overall quality in the fresh-cut lettuce. The chlorophyll content of the whole lettuce was maintained at a higher level in the treatment of 10,000 cc at 8 °C, while it was higher in the 50,000 cc treatments at 2 and 8 °C in the fresh-cut lettuce. Correlation and PCA confirmed that the main factors affecting the storability and quality of romaine lettuce were fresh weight loss rate, off-odor, and the concentration of CO2. In addition, the storage characteristics of whole and fresh-cut lettuce were opposite to 0 in PC1 and PC2, indicating that the storage characteristics were different depending on the processing type.

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Quantifying the effectiveness of washing treatments on the microbial quality of fresh-cut romaine lettuce and cantaloupe

LWT ◽

10.1016/j.lwt.2017.08.008 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 86 ◽

pp. 270-276 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Mustafa Guzel ◽

Rosana G. Moreira ◽

Basri Omac ◽

M. Elena Castell-Perez

Keyword(s):

Microbial Quality ◽

Romaine Lettuce ◽

Fresh Cut

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Effect of Initial Low Oxygen Concentration on Respiration and Quality of Fresh-cut Cabbages

Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University ◽

10.5109/4543 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 48 (1/2) ◽

pp. 195-207

Author(s):

Wenzhong Hu ◽

Shun-ichiro Tanaka ◽

Toshitaka Uchino ◽

Toship Kawasaki ◽

Daisuke Hamanaka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Concentration ◽

Low Oxygen ◽

Fresh Cut ◽

Low Oxygen Concentration

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Delayed Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Fresh-cut Romaine Lettuce: Effects on Quality Maintenance and Shelf-life

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs.130.1.116 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 130 (1) ◽

pp. 116-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Ji Gang Kim ◽

Yaguang Luo ◽

Robert A. Saftner ◽

Kenneth C. Gross

Keyword(s):

Electrolyte Leakage ◽

Modified Atmosphere Packaging ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Modified Atmosphere ◽

Romaine Lettuce ◽

Quality Maintenance ◽

Oxygen Transmission Rate ◽

Fresh Cut ◽

Volatile Production

Fresh-cut tissues are subjected to severe injury during preparation that leads to increased respiratory activity and quality deterioration. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been used to maintain quality of fresh-cut produce, but O2 depletion and excessive CO2 accumulation can be injurious. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of delayed packaging and MAP using two different oxygen transmission rate (OTR) films on quality maintenance and shelf stability of fresh-cut romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Romaine lettuce leaves were cut, washed, dried, and placed for 0, 4, 8, and 12 hours at 5 °C in ambient air before packaging. Fresh-cut samples were placed into packages prepared from films having OTRs of 8.0 and 16.6 pmol·s-1·m-2·Pa-1, flushed with N2 to reach an initial headspace O2 level of 1.5 kPa O2, and stored at 5 °C for up to 14 days. Delayed packaging affected gas composition, fermentative volatile production, off-odor development, color, CO2 injury, and tissue electrolyte leakage. With increasing delay before packaging, fermentative volatile production, off-odor development, and CO2 injury progressively decreased and discoloration increased. The modified atmospheres obtained with 16.6 OTR film increased discoloration when present, and generally had less off-odor development and CO2 injury compared to MAP with 8.0 OTR film. Delayed packaging affected overall quality of fresh-cut romaine lettuce packaged with both films. A 12-hour delayed packaging into packages prepared from 8.0 OTR film maintained quality by inhibiting CO2 injury, off-odor development, and tissue electrolyte leakage. However, an 8-hour delayed packaging into packages prepared from 16.6 OTR film was better at maintaining the quality of fresh-cut romaine lettuce at 5 °C for 14 days. The results indicated that delayed packaging could be an alternative method to optimize or balance package O2 during suboptimal OTR film packaging conditions.

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Use of microbial inoculants during cultivation maintain the physiological, nutritional and technological quality of fresh-cut romaine lettuce

Postharvest Biology and Technology ◽

10.1016/j.postharvbio.2020.111411 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 111411

Author(s):

Giacomo Cocetta ◽

Alessandro Passera ◽

Violetta Vacchini ◽

Gul-i-Rayna Shahzad ◽

Giovanna Cortellino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microbial Inoculants ◽

Romaine Lettuce ◽

Technological Quality ◽

Fresh Cut

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EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING ON STORAGE QUALITY OF FRESH-CUT ROMAINE LETTUCE

Journal of Food Quality ◽

10.1111/j.1745-4557.2010.00321.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

pp. 317-336 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

H. MANOLOPOULOU ◽

GR. LAMBRINOS ◽

E. CHATZIS ◽

G. XANTHOPOULOS ◽

E. ARAVANTINOS

Keyword(s):

Modified Atmosphere Packaging ◽

Effect Of Temperature ◽

Modified Atmosphere ◽

Storage Quality ◽

Romaine Lettuce ◽

Fresh Cut

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Impact of sanitizer solutions on microbial reduction and quality of fresh-cut pennywort (Centella asiatica) leaves

Journal of Food Science and Technology ◽

10.1007/s13197-021-05131-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Siti Zaharah Rosli ◽

Mohd Adzahan Noranizan ◽

Son Radu ◽

Roselina Karim ◽

Noraniza Mohd Adzahan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Centella Asiatica ◽

Microbial Reduction ◽

Fresh Cut

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Evaluation of the Storage Conditions and Type of Cork Stopper on the Quality of Bottled White Wines

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26010232 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 232

Author(s):

María Consuelo Díaz-Maroto ◽

Manuel López Viñas ◽

Lourdes Marchante ◽

María Elena Alañón ◽

Ignacio Javier Díaz-Maroto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Volatile Compounds ◽

Light Exposure ◽

Total Content ◽

Storage Conditions ◽

Sensory Profile ◽

Cork Stopper ◽

White Wines ◽

White Leds ◽

Retail Outlets

The effects of different storage conditions, light exposure, temperature and different commercially available cork stoppers on the phenolic, volatile and sensorial profile of Verdejo wines were studied. Two natural corks of different visual quality and a microgranulated cork stopper were investigated over one year at two different storage conditions. One simulating light exposure and temperature in retail outlets and the other simulating optimal cellar conditions (darkness and 12 °C). The wines stored under commercial conditions showed greater losses of total and free SO2 and higher levels of brown-yellowish tones, related to the oxidation of flavan-3-ols. Although these wines underwent a decrease in the total content of stilbenes, a significant increase in trans-piceid was observed. In addition, these wines suffered important changes in their volatile and sensory profile. Volatile compounds with fruity and floral aromas decreased significantly, while volatile compounds related to aged-type characters, as linalool oxides, vitispirane, TDN or furan derivatives increased. Wines stored in darkness at 12 °C underwent minor changes and their sensory profiles were similar to wine before bottling. The high-quality natural corks and microgranulated corks better preserved the quality of the white wines from a sensory point of view. These results showed that temperature and light exposure conditions (diffuse white LEDs and 24 ± 2 °C) in retail outlets considerably decrease the quality of bottled white wines and, consequently, their shelf life, due to the premature development of aged-type characters.

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