Minimally Processed Vegetables in Brazil: An Overview of Marketing, Processing, and Microbiological Aspects

Abstract

The global demand for minimally processed vegetables (MPVs) has grown, driven by changes in the population’s lifestyle. MPVs are fresh vegetables that undergo several processing steps, resulting in ready-to-eat products, providing convenience for consumers and food companies. Among the processing steps, washing–disinfection plays an important role in reducing the microbial load and eliminating pathogens that may be present. However, poor hygiene practices can jeopardize the microbiological quality and safety of these products, thereby posing potential risks to consumer health. This study provides an overview of minimally processed vegetables (MPVs), with a specific focus on the Brazilian market. It includes information on the pricing of fresh vegetables and MPVs, as well as an examination of the various processing steps involved, and the microbiological aspects associated with MPVs. Data on the occurrence of hygiene indicators and pathogenic microorganisms in these products are presented. The focus of most studies has been on the detection of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes, with prevalence rates ranging from 0.7% to 100%, 0.6% to 26.7%, and 0.2% to 33.3%, respectively. Foodborne outbreaks associated with the consumption of fresh vegetables in Brazil between 2000 and 2021 were also addressed. Although there is no information about whether these vegetables were consumed as fresh vegetables or MPVs, these data highlight the need for control measures to guarantee products with quality and safety to consumers.

Development of Simplified Seedling Transplanting Device for Supporting Efficient Production of Vegetable Raw Materials

“…Healthy transplants could initiate the process of successful crop production. When performed in accordance with good, mechanized practices, these main vegetables would grow evenly and mature at similar stages, increasing the likelihood of rejection by consumers and markets [3]. The performance tests showed that the average success ratio in transplanting seedlings for the three local vegetable crops was more than 90% when the transplanting rate was 15 seedlings per minute.…”

“…For the effects of different morphological and physical characteristics of plug seedlings, the adaptability to fully automatic machinery might be investigated for high-quality transplants [31]. The development of seedling low-loss transplantation with the coordinated promotion of minimally processed vegetables would effectively improve the utilization level of fresh vegetables [3,12]. Through continuous technological innovation, it is conducive to the healthy development of the vegetable industry while protecting the interests of upstream vegetable farmers.…”

“…Pickled vegetables are commonly flavored non-staple foods with a yield of 6.50 million tons annually in China [1,2]. These minimally processed foods, such as pickled cucumber chilli sauce, are fresh, crisp, hot, and sour while maintaining the same nutritional and organoleptic (sensory) quality of fresh vegetables [3]. So pickled vegetables are considered one of the important agricultural by-products of the Chinese diet, without which any meal is imperfect.…”

Ready-to-Use Vegetable Salads: Physicochemical and Microbiological Evaluation

“…Ready-to-use products do not require additional preparation before being consumed and can be found on the market in a wide variety, like fresh-cut fruits, salads and vegetables, cooked meat and poultry, smoked/salted seafood, smoked/salted meat, and dairy [1]. Ready-to-use vegetable salads are minimally processed products [3], by sorting, cutting, washing/disinfection, rinsing, centrifugation, packaging in air or a modified atmosphere, refrigeration and transport, which are finally consumed in a short period of time [4,5]. According to Ülger et al [6], about 10,000 plant species are considered vegetables, and they are classified as follows: leaf vegetables (chard, chicory, curly lettuce, lettuce, purslane and spinach); stalk vegetables (celery and asparagus), flowering vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and artichoke); root, bulb and tuber vegetables (beet, carrot, fennel, onion, potato, radish and turnip); and legumes (peas and soya beans).…”

“…In 2020, 225.4 thousand ha of vegetables were cultivated in the country, with a total production of 3501.4 thousand tones (cabbage, with 977.4 thousand tones, and tomatoes, with 712.2 thousand tones, being the most cultivated). Rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber content and phytochemicals, vegetables play an important role in human health [5], and it is recommended to consume 400 g of vegetables and fruits per day (of which 240 g should be vegetables) [8,9] for the prevention of stroke, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and other micronutrient deficiencies [10]. In 2021, an average of 364.58 g of fruit and vegetables per day per capita were consumed in the EU, being below the minimum recommended [11].…”