Repetitive pulsed light treatment at certain interval on fresh-cut cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. reticulatus cv. Glamour)

Abstract

Abstract This study was done in order to investigate the effect of repetitive pulsed light (RPL) treatment at certain interval on microbiological stability, quality and physicochemical changes of fresh-cut cantaloupes during storage. Fresh-cut cantaloupes packed in polypropylene bag were exposed to RPL treatment with fluences of 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 J/cm2 every 48 h up to 28 days of storage at 4 ± 1 °C. The microbiological quality, headspace gas composition, physical quality (firmness, fluid loss and colour), chemical quality (pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, total phenolic content and ascorbic acid content) and microscopic observations of fresh-cut cantaloupes were determined during storage. No significant (p > 0.05) effect was observed for firmness, colour and total soluble solids of fresh-cut cantaloupes treated with RPL throughout the storage study. Repetitive PL treatment using 0.9 J/cm2 was the most effective fluence for extending the shelf life of fresh-cut cantaloupes with extension by 20 days compared to control in term of microbiological quality while maintaining all quality parameters. Negative effect of single PL treatment (SPL) (11.7 J/cm2) on tissue structure of fresh-cut cantaloupes during storage was minimised by applying RPL treatment (0.9 J/cm2 for every 48 h interval). Industrial relevance Fresh-cut cantaloupes are becoming more popular due to the benefits of convenience and fresh-like quality provided. However, fresh-cut cantaloupes are susceptible to microbial contamination and deterioration as the fruit tissue is injured due to cutting of the product into pieces. Repetitive PL (RPL) treatment is an alternative application to single PL (SPL) treatment for extending shelf life of fresh-cut fruits by minimising the negative effect of SPL treatment on the tissue structure. This study demonstrates the usefulness of RPL treatment to further extend the shelf life of fresh-cut cantaloupes compared to SPL treatment. This is crucial for vending cut fruits through refrigerators equipped with RPL system. The RPL application contributes to reduced postharvest loss and increased convenience and availability of fresh-cut fruits to the public which benefit both producers and consumers.