Effect of Different Storage Temperatures on Quality Changes of Ready-to-Eat Fresh-cut Fruit Trays

Abstract

Objective: To ensure the storage quality and food safety of ready-to-eat fresh-cut fruits trays, the growth changes of microbial hygiene indicator bacteria (colony count, coliform, mold yeast) in ready-to-eat fresh-cut fruit trays under different temperature conditions were analyzed to assess their food safety risks and to seek the optimal storage time. Methods: The tropical fruits (dragon fruit, mango, papaya, watermelon, sainfoin) were washed, peeled and cut into pieces to produce ready-to-eat fresh-cut fruit trays, which were stored at different temperatures (6°C, 10°C and 15°C), sampled regularly to detect the number of microbial indicators and plotted the growth curves using the national standards for food microbiological testing. Results: It showed that under the storage environment of 6°C, the growth trend of microbial hygiene indicators was not obvious, the contamination level was low, the sensory changes were small, the preservation effect was good, and the shelf life could be within 24h; under the environment of 10°C, the growth trend of hygiene indicators showed a gradual increase, and the sensory quality changed more after 10h, and the best storage time was within 10h. The best storage time is 10h; while 15°C environment, the growth of hygienic indicator bacteria is too fast, sensory in 6h after the color becomes lighter, oozing juice, so 15°C is not recommended for long time storage of ready-to-eat fresh cut fruit plate, in 6h consumption is a safer preservation time frame.