Microbial Decontamination of Fresh Produce (Strawberry) Using Washing Solutions

Darwish

et al. 2019

JBR

BACKGROUND: Strawberry is one of the most highly consumed fruits worldwide. However, it is highly perishable fruit postharvest. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of dipping strawberry fruits after harvest in plant growth regulators to maintain postharvest quality. METHODS: Treatments tested were: 2 and 4 mM salicylic acid (SA), 0.25 and 0.50 mM abscisic acid (ABA) and methyl jasmonate at 0.25 and 0.50 mM (MeJA). Bioactive compounds and fungal growth were assessed over 12 days of storage at 4 °C. RESULTS: Both concentrations of SA and MeJA significantly suppressed weight loss, decay and respiration rate and 0.50 mM ABA also reduced decay. Both concentrations of SA retarded color development, and total soluble solids content was enhanced by 0.50 mM ABA and MeJA treatments. The most effective treatments for preserving firmness were 0.25 mM MeJA and 4 mM SA. Reduction in loss of ascorbic acid and bioactive compounds during storage was achieved using the highest concentrations of SA, ABA, and MeJA. Fungal growth was suppressed by all treatments but the best treatment was MeJA at both concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: All three plant growth regulators reduce postharvest changes in strawberry but effects differ amongst the treatments.

“…The homogenate (0.1 ml) was plated on potato dextrose agar in duplicate. Fungal counts (log CFU/g) were determined after incubation at 25-28 °C for 5 days [32].…”

Section: Microbiological Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of salicylic acid, abscisic acid, and methyl jasmonate on postharvest quality and bioactive compounds of cultivated strawberry fruit

El-Mogy

Darwish

et al. 2019

JBR

“…Ten grams of tissue from each treatment was homogenized with 90 mL sterile saline water for 2 min by a stomacher (Stomacher BW-400P, Turelab, Shanghai, China). Mold and yeast (MY) and total counts were assessed on potato dextrose and plate count agar, after incubation at 37 °C for 48 h and 28 °C for 5 d, respectively [ 34 ]. The results were expressed as log10 of colony-forming units per gram sample (CFU g −1 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing the Storability of Fresh-Cut Green Beans by Using Chitosan as a Carrier for Tea Tree and Peppermint Essential Oils and Ascorbic Acid

Abdelgawad

Awad

et al. 2022

Plants

The quality of fresh-cut green beans deteriorates rapidly in storage, which contributes to increased food waste and lower perceived customer value. However, chitosan (Cs) and certain plant essential oils show promise in reducing postharvest quality loss during storage. Here, the effect of Cs and the combinations of Cs + tea tree oil (TTO), Cs +x peppermint oil (PMO), and Cs + ascorbic acid (AsA) on the quality of fresh-cut green bean pods (FC-GB) is studied over a 15-d storage period at 5 °C. All four FC-GB treatments reduced weight loss and maintained firmness during storage when compared to uncoated FC-GB. Furthermore, all treatments showed higher total chlorophyll content, AsA, total phenolic compounds, and total sugars compared to the control. The best treatment for reducing microbial growth was a combination of Cs + AsA. Additionally, the combination of Cs with TTO, PMO, or AsA showed a significant reduction in the browning index and increased the antioxidant capacity of FC-GB up to 15 d postharvest.

“…Ten grams of each treatment were homogenized with 90 mL sterile saline for 2 min by a stomacher (Stomacher BW-400P, Turelab, Shanghai, China). Total count and mould and yeast count (MY) were enumerated on plate count agar and potato dextrose agar after incubation at 37 °C for 48 h and 28 °C for 5 d, respectively [ 31 ]. The results were expressed as log10 of colony-forming units per gram sample (CFU g −1 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extending the Shelf-Life of Fresh-Cut Green Bean Pods by Ethanol, Ascorbic Acid, and Essential Oils

Awad

Parmar

et al. 2021

Foods

Green beans are a perishable crop, which deteriorate rapidly after harvest, particularly when minimally processed into ready-to-eat fresh-cut green beans. This study investigated the effectiveness of ethanol, ascorbic acid (AsA), tea tree essential oil (TTO), and peppermint essential oil (PMO) on the quality and storability of fresh-cut green bean pods samples stored at 5 °C for 15 days. Our results indicated that samples treated with ethanol, AsA, TTO, and PMO preserved appearance, firmness (except ethanol), chlorophyll content, and moisture compared with the samples without any treatment (control). Additionally, higher vitamin C, total soluble solids (TSS), total sugars, and total phenolic compounds (TPC) were observed in samples treated with ethanol, AsA, TTO, and PMO compared with the control. The most effective treatments for controlling microbial growth were ethanol followed by either TTO or PMO. All the treatments had positive effects on shelf life, maintained quality, and reducing microbial growth during 15 days of cold storage. A particular treatment can be selected based on the economic feasibility and critical control point in the value chain.