Quality Characteristics, Respiration Rates, and Microbial Stability of Osmotically Treated Mango Tissue (Mangifera indica L.) with or without Calcium Lactate

Abstract

Mango minimally processed (20 °Brix) was obtained by applying osmotic treatments and the product quality development was evaluated throughout storage. Osmotic treatments were carried out at atmospheric pressure Osmotic dehydration (OD) and by applying a vacuum pulse osmotic dehydration (PVOD) using 45 °Brix sucrose solutions with and without calcium lactate (2%). Mechanical properties were measured after treatments and after 10 days storage. Color, microbial controls, and respiration rates were measured throughout storage time, in order to evaluate the development of the different parameters which affect product quality. Osmotic treatments induced changes in the physical properties, respiration rates and microbial behavior, depending on the treatment conditions and the addition of calcium lactate. From the microbiological point of view the most stable samples are those treated with calcium in both OD and PVOD treatments. Respiration rates were also reduced to a greater extent in these treatments. Mechanical properties are also better preserved when calcium is applied in PVOD treatments. Nevertheless, a greater decrease in hue is observed in calcium treated samples which indicates that browning occurs more intensely in these cases.