Impact of different cut types on the quality of fresh-cut potatoes during storage

Muhammad Irfan,Muhammad Inam-Ur-Raheem,Ahsan Javed,Rana Muhammad Aadil,Rameesha Nadeem,Umair Shabbir

doi:10.1590/1981-6723.00519

Abstract

Abstract Fresh-cut vegetables can be minimally processed through cleaning/washing, trimming, peeling, slicing and dicing, followed by packaging and cold storage. This study aimed to verify the effect of different cuts on the quality and shelf life of fresh-cut potato. Different cut types, such as slices, dices, cubes and wedges, were selected for this study to evaluate the shelf-life response of potatoes. Potato pieces of these different shapes were treated with calcium chloride, citric acid, and potassium metabisulfite (3%, 2% and 0.3%, respectively), stored in plastic boxes at 4 ˚C for 60 days, and then physicochemically (firmness (N), weight loss (WL), pH, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), and ascorbic acid (AA) content analyses) and microbiologically assessed. The best results were observed for the dice cut type, which showed minimal changes in TSS (5.31%), pH (5.65), TA (0.34%), WL (9.04%), and AA content (10.86%). Moreover, the microbial activity of all shapes of potato pieces remained within acceptable limits during cold storage.

Highlights

Vegetais minimamente processados podem ser preparados a partir de várias etapas de processamento como lavagem, toalete, retirada da casca, corte, seguidas por embalagem e armazenamento refrigerado
In Pakistan, potato is widely cultivated in an area of over 186,900 ha, with annual production estimated in 4,446.5 million tons (Government of Pakistan, 2018)
Browning may be a symptom of an ongoing degenerative process such as damaging of cell compartmentalization (Marangoni et al, 1996), or of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity on the phenolic compounds, in which the enzymes are activated when the cut surface comes into contact with oxygen (Wang et al, 2015)

Summary

Introduction

Vegetais minimamente processados podem ser preparados a partir de várias etapas de processamento como lavagem, toalete, retirada da casca, corte, seguidas por embalagem e armazenamento refrigerado. Some phytonutrients, e.g., carotenoids, flavonoids and phenolic compounds, are present in potato tubers. The demand for fresh-cut potatoes has been increasing globally, but fresh-cut potatoes are prone to browning after cutting, like many other fruits and vegetables (You et al, 2012; Wang et al, 2015). These cutting processes cause wounding stress that can accelerate the deterioration processes, such as water loss, oxidative browning, tissue softening, and development of off-flavors, limiting the shelf life of fresh-cut products (Hodges & Toivonen, 2008). Browning may be a symptom of an ongoing degenerative process such as damaging of cell compartmentalization (Marangoni et al, 1996), or of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity on the phenolic compounds (substrates), in which the enzymes are activated when the cut surface comes into contact with oxygen (Wang et al, 2015). Cantwell & Suslow (2002) showed that the problem of cell rupture arises after cutting during minimal processing, triggering biochemical reactions in the fresh-cut produce, resulting in short shelf life

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Results