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The present work aimed at evaluating the effects of tara gum, xanthan and sodium alginate as edible coatings in physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics of minimally processed peaches. Peaches from Granada cultivar were peeled, cut into cubes and immersed in the solutions with the respective treatment. Four treatments were used. The minimally processed peaches were packed in PET packaging and stored at 4 Ϯ 1C for 12 days. Physical and physicochemical analyses were performed, including mass loss, firmness (N), color (L*, a*, b* and Hue angle), pH, soluble solids (°Brix), and microbiological evaluations of psychotrophic microorganisms and mold and yeast. The treatment with tara gum associated to citric and ascorbic acids and sodium chloride presented the best results. Tara gum allowed a reduction of mass loss, firmness maintenance, lower color alteration and lower growth of molds and yeasts. Therefore, this gum presents potential for application as edible coating. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSFresh-cut peaches are appreciated worldwide for their exotic flavor and nutritional composition. However, their shelf life is limited by changes in color, texture, appearance and microbial growth. An alternative to try to minimize the losses and increase the shelf life of this product is the use of edible coatings, maintaining the quality parameters of fresh fruit. Tara gum is a cheap gum that has not been used as coating on minimally processed fruit, and in this work, this gum showed significant results in the quality of fresh-cut peaches for a longer time. It can be considered useful to the minimal processing industry and used as an alternative to fast food and other ready-to-eat products, attending the demand for healthy and convenient foodstuffs.

Surimi is a semi-processed washed fish mince protein concentrate mixed with cryoprotectants for frozen storage, which is the primary constituent of processed foods. Mechanically separated chicken meat (MSCM) is a common ingredient of comminuted sausages mainly due to its low price. The present work aimed to define the adequate parameters to obtain surimi-like material from MSCM using response surface methodology, and to characterize the chemical and textural properties of this product. The MSCM was utilized in the elaboration of surimi-like material using the bleaching method with sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride solutions. For this purpose, the effect of process parameters viz: temperature (T=2, 7, and 12°C), time (t=5, 10, and 15 min/cycles) and washing solution:MSCM ratio (R=2:1, 4:1, and 6:1w/w) were evaluated using response surface methodology. The highest composite design averages obtained were 10.7 % for protein content, 1,003.4 g for breaking force, 645.8 g.cm for gel strength, 9.0 N for cutting strength, and 24.1 N.s for work of shearing at the optimum combination of processing conditions of 7°C, 10 min and 4:1 washing solution:MSCM ratio, corresponding to the central points of the proposed experimental design. The obtained models had high determination coefficients, explaining 95.85, 98.23, 98.41, and 96.08 % of total variability in protein content, cutting strength, breaking force, and work of shearing variabilities, respectively. According to the folding test the surimi-like material presented the same characteristics of a high quality surimi (FT=5).

This study aimed to evaluate xanthan gum as a carrier of preservative solution and calcium chloride in edible coating applied to fresh‐cut apple. The utilized coatings, prepared in aqueous solution, were: (T1) control, (T2) 1% glycerol, (T3) 1% glycerol and 0.5% xanthan gum, (T4) 1% glycerol, 0.5% xanthan gum and 1% CaCl2 (T5) 1% CaCl2 (T6) 1% ascorbic acid and 0.25% citric acid, (T7) 1% glycerol, 0.5% xanthan gum, 1% ascorbic acid and 0.25% citric acid (T8) 1% glycerol, 0.5% xanthan gum, 1% CaCl2, 1% ascorbic acid and 0.25% citric acid. The T8 treatment presented the best combination of results, with reduction of mass loss and oxidative browning, increase of firmness, lower growth of psychrotrophic microorganisms, molds and yeasts, and absence of total and thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. Practical Applications Fresh‐cut apples are appreciated worldwide for their flavor and nutritional composition. However, their shelf life is limited by changes in color, texture, appearance and microbial growth. An alternative to try to minimize the losses and increase the shelf life of this product is the use of edible coatings, maintaining the quality parameters of fresh fruit. Xanthan gum, a thickening agent, can be used as a carrier of preservative solution (citric and ascorbic acid) and calcium chloride to be used in edible coating in fresh‐cut apples. It can be considered useful to the minimal processing industry and used as an alternative to fast food and other ready‐to‐eat products, attending the demand for healthy and convenient foodstuffs.

The objective of this study was to determine the quality of raw chicken breast store at 5C and packaged under different modified atmospheres. The samples of raw chicken breast (20 samples per treatment) were individually wrapped and packed in highdensity plastic bags. Before sealing, the air was removed automatically by an air removal system (vacuum) and then injected into different mixtures of purified natural gas. Physicochemical analysis of texture, pH, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), total volatile bases (TVB), color and microbiological analyses (mesophilic aerobic, Staphylococcus, psychrotrophic, Salmonella and Escherichia coli) were carried out. The cutting strengths and TBA of the control sample after 9 days of storage were 0.94 kgf and 0.601, respectively, there was lower browning, variation in pH, TBA and nitrogen TVB, and a lower growth of psychrotrophic, mesophilic and Staphylococcus was shown; the absence of Salmonella and Escherichia coli is noted. It can be concluded that the best treatment is C after 9 days of storage obtaining a longer shelf life of the chicken breast meat. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe deterioration of foods caused by internal and external factors are responsible for considerable economic loss. Chicken breast meat is easily perishable by microorganisms depending on conditions of supply and production chain. An alternative to try to minimize the losses and increase the shelf life of this product is the use of modified atmospheres. The use of modified atmospheres in this study was effective to retard spoilage and reduce the volatile compounds in chicken breast meat, thus increasing food security without bringing risk to public health. bs_bs_banner Journal of Food Safety

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The present work thus aimed to evaluate the effects of the acidic and basic protein isolates as edible coatings on the physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of fresh‐cut melons. Three treatments were used: (T1) control (melon without coating); (T2) 1.5% acidic protein isolates (API), 1.5% Clove essential oil (CEO); (T3) 1.5% basic protein isolates (BPI), and 1.5% CEO. The results were analyzed statistically by the analysis of variance. The API had the highest percentage of protein (93.05%), when compared to the BPI that obtained 92.77%. Tilapia protein isolate coatings T2 and T3 presented the least growth of psychrotrophs, molds, and yeasts. All treatments showed the absence of Salmonella and thermotolerant coliforms in 25g of sample. It was concluded that treatment T3 showed lower mass loss (7.54%), lower microbial growth, lower decrease in firmness, greater acceptability in the sensorial analysis, presenting the best results on the coating of fresh‐cut melons. Practical applications Fresh‐cut melons are appreciated worldwide for their flavor and nutritional composition. However, their shelf life is limited by changes in color, texture, appearance, and microbial growth. An alternative to minimize the losses and increase the shelf life of this product is the use of edible coatings which can maintain the quality parameters of fresh fruit. Protein isolate of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) obtained by acid and basic processes could be used as a carrier of preservative solution This can also be used together with clove essential oil as edible coating in fresh‐cut melons. It can be considered useful to the minimal processing industry and also used as an alternative to fast food and other ready‐to‐eat products, attending the demand for healthy and convenient foodstuffs.