Abstract
‘Wonderful’ pomegranate arils were treated with 0.5% and 1% of calcium chloride, 0.5% and 1% of calcium lactate, and salicylic acid (1 and 2 mM), then treated and untreated (control) arils packaged in clean (sterilized) plastic containers. Fresh produce was then stored at 5±1 ℃. Assessment of arils quality was carried out at 3-day intervals by evaluating the following quality parameters: appearance, decay, off odor, flavor, total soluble solids, acidity, anthocyanin and vitamin C content, firmness, colour development (L* value and hue angle), and microbial load. Pomegranate arils treated with salicylic acid, calcium chloride, and calcium lactate maintained a general good quality and appearance up to 12 days of storage at 5±1 ℃, with no visible decay and off odor development. The total microbial population was lower in arils treated with salicylic acid, in comparison to treatments with calcium chloride, calcium lactate and control arils. All treatments scored above the limit of marketability, maintaining good quality of fresh-cut produce during storage. However, the use of salicylic acid and calcium chloride helped to keep a better overall quality of arils at the end of the 12-day storage at 5±1 ℃.
Highlights
Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are a relatively new and rapidly developing segment of the fresh produce industry, and the demand is continuously increasing, being the convenience factor and health promoting benefits, associated with their consumption, the main reasons for such an increment (Sanchís et al, 2015)
At 12 days of storage, arils treated with 1% CaCl2 scored the highest total soluble solids (TSS) percentages as compared to control ones, while, in the second season, CaCl2 at both tested concentrations recorded the highest TSS respecting to the control
In this regard Amith et al (2015) found that the highest TSS was for pomegranate arils treated with 1% calcium chloride
Summary
Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are a relatively new and rapidly developing segment of the fresh produce industry, and the demand is continuously increasing, being the convenience factor and health promoting benefits, associated with their consumption, the main reasons for such an increment (Sanchís et al, 2015). In particular, an interest in the consumption of pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) has been recorded, due to the health benefits produced by the very high content of bioactive phytochemicals of the fruit (Holland et al, 2009; Viuda-Martos et al, 2010). Physiological changes may be accompanied by flavor loss, cut surface discoloration, color loss, decay, increased rate of vitamin loss, rapid softening, shrinkage and a shorter storage-life. These attributes reflect visual acceptance and physicochemical properties associated with the product quality. According to Elyatem and Kader (1984), chilling injury, decay, and weight loss are the most important
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