Abstract
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.
Highlights
Green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) belongs to the family of Fabaceae and is considered one of the most important legume crops worldwide
Our results indicated that peppermint essential oil (PMO) had higher radical scavenging activity than the results reported by others [25] who found that IC50 was recorded at 500 μL mL−1, which is a very
Our results indicated that PMO and tree essential oil (TTO) treatments had a positive role in maintaining the chlorophyll content of fresh-cut green beans
Summary
Green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) belongs to the family of Fabaceae and is considered one of the most important legume crops worldwide. The pods of green bean can be harvested at an immature stage (as a fresh vegetable) or mature stage (for dried seeds). Green bean pods are highly perishable with limited shelf-life due to their high respiration rate. Green beans are susceptible to mechanical damage, shriveling, chlorophyll pigment degradation, and increased fibre content [2,3]. These biochemical changes reduce the quality and consumption of green bean pods and decrease their economic and nutritional values
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