Effects of pulsed light treatments and pectin edible coatings on the quality of fresh-cut apples: a hurdle technology approach

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pulsed light (PL) treatments stand as an alternative for the shelf-life extension of fresh-cut products. Theantimicrobial effects of PL are well known; however, its influence on quality attributes needs to be assessed. This study wasaimed at evaluating the application of PL treatments in combination with pectin-based edible coatings enriched with dietaryfiber for the preservation of fresh-cut apples.RESULTS: Dipping of fresh-cut apples in ascorbic acid/calcium chloride solution prior to pectin coating and PL treatments waseffective to minimize browning and softening of apple surfaces. Incorporation of fiber in the pectin coating did not cause anychange in microbial loads andsensory acceptabilityof apple cubes.Pectin-coatedPL-treated applepieces exhibited significantlyhigher antioxidant activity values than fresh and PL control samples. At the end of storage, the combination of both treatmentsresulted in an almost 2 log CFU g−1 reduction of microbial counts. Sensory attribute scores did not fall below the rejection limitthroughout 14 days, although the presence of off-odors limited the acceptability of the pectin-coated samples.CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that PL treatments applied to pectin-coated fresh-cut apples may be used to maintainquality attributes, thus conferring prebiotic potential and extending the shelf-life of the product.