Health Benefits Of Consumption Research Articles

Production of frozen probiotic fermented milk enriched with green banana biomass: The effects of freezing, acid stress conditions and bile salts on Lactobacillus paracasei subsp paracasei LBC 81 viability

The objective of this study was to develop a frozen probiotic fermented milk enriched with Green Banana Biomass (GBB). L. paracasei LBC81 survival in frozen fermented milk was determined at on the 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of storage at −18°C. The survival of L. paracasei LBC81 was also evaluated during the application of successive freezing and thawing cycles, and also when exposed to acid stress (pH 3.0) and bile salts (0.3%). In terms of L. paracasei LBC81 survival, the incorporation of GBB in fermented milk did not significantly compromise (p > .05) the viability of this strain over the 28 days of storage, exposure to freezing and thawing cycles and during exposure to acid stress conditions and by the presence of bile salts. We have concluded that it is possible to develop a frozen probiotic fermented milk enriched with GBB. Practical applications The shelf life of fermented milk is of only 28 days, because the microorganism continues to grow under refrigerated conditions and, consequently, the acidity of the product increases. In addition to affecting sensory acceptance, acidity also compromises the survival of potential probiotic culture. Thus, the development of frozen fermented milk enriched with green banana biomass is an alternative to extending the product shelf life during the storage period. This extension of the shelf life of frozen fermented milk enriched with GBB will also be subject to maintenance of the population of L. paracasei between 106 to 108 CFU/g of the product, in order to ensure consumer health benefits.

Purchasing organic food with social commerce: An integrated food-technology consumption values perspective

Organic products may have several health benefits for consumers. Nevertheless, even in the age of social commerce, and the communication affordances of social networking sites, consumers are not always informed regarding such benefits. As such, we examine how the characteristics of social commerce and organic foods can work in tandem to influence organic products purchase intentions. We develop a model based on the theory of consumption values and test it empirically. The results show that interactivity, recommendations, and feedback are important social commerce characteristics (affordances), while food safety and eco-friendliness are key organic food characteristics. Such social commerce and organic food characteristics interact and serve as inputs for functional value and emotional value assessments, which in turn, drive purchase intentions of organic foods via social commerce. The findings also show that functional value is more instrumental in this process; and that there is also a significant difference between males and females in the formation of purchase intention. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Trade‐offs in the performance of alternative farming systems

AbstractNumerous alternative farming systems are proposed as solutions to the sustainability challenges of today's conventional farming systems. In this paper, we review the production, environmental, and socioeconomic performance of three widely discussed and promoted alternative farming systems—organic, smallholder, and urban agriculture. We show that both organic and smallholder agricultures have some benefits, but also entail important trade‐offs; organic has environmental benefits, and also livelihood, health, and nutritional benefits for producers and consumers, but is hampered by lower yields and higher prices. Smaller farms have higher yields and host higher biodiversity, but are hampered by lower incomes to farmers. Urban agriculture can take some pressure off rural landscapes, provide nutritional benefits to the urban poor, and engage urban dwellers in addressing food system challenges, but it simply cannot scale up to be a substantial solution in and of itself. We suggest that instead of focusing on alternative systems, we should identify pathways to sustainable farming for all systems, reforming conventional systems where they perform poorly, and transitioning to alternative systems in contexts where they perform best.

Gluten-Free Rice Breading Using Composited Rice Flour and Pre-Germinated Brown Rice Flour for Health Benefits.

Gluten-free rice breading (RB) is generally prepared by shredding of gluten-free rice bread. It is an alternative product for Celiac patients, who are gluten allergic. The aim of this research was to formulate gluten-free rice bread formula by using composited rice flour (RF) and pre-germinated brown rice flour (PGBRF) from two Thai rice cultivars, Pathum-Thani1 (15% amylose) and Phitsanulok2 (27% amylose) at the ratio of 1:1, by considering the structural properties of bread, health benefit of breading, and the properties of breading as coating material of fried frozen croquette (C-) and compared to those of samples prepared from wheat flour. Increasing PGBRF from 0% to 50% in gluten-free rice bread formula increased the puffed cell wall of air cell in gluten-free rice bread. Antioxidative activity of RB containing 50% PGBRF (RB-50%) was 4 and 9 times higher than RB without PGBRF (RB-0%) and wheat breading (WB), respectively. WB contained 356,289 mg/kg of gluten, while RB contained less than 2 mg/kg of gluten, which could be labeled "gluten-free". When compared all breading samples as coating material of C-, oil absorption of C-RB-50% (14.32%) was 3 times lower than that of WB (44.36%). Therefore, the RB-50% had health benefits for consumers who are suffered from Celiac disease and also other health-conscious consumers considering the higher antioxidative properties and lower oil uptake than the consumption of WB.

Assessment of aflatoxin levels in herbal green tea available on the Moroccan market

Tea is a popular beverage known worldwide with health benefits for consumers. It was considered safe and healthy for centuries. However, recent investigations reported that herbal tea might be contaminated by fungi and mycotoxins. The purpose of this study was to assess, for the first time, the levels of aflatoxins (AFs) in 129 herbal green tea samples obtained from retail shops and supermarkets in three Moroccan areas (El Jadida, Kénitra and Meknès). Aflatoxins were quantified by liquid chromatography coupled to a fluorescence detector and the confirmation of the suspected samples was done by LC-MS/MS. Analytical results indicate that out of 129 total samples, 76 samples (58.9%) were found to be contaminated with AFs. In positive samples, AFB1 levels ranged from 1.8 to 6.7 ng/g in tea samples from Meknès, and from 4.4 to 41.8 ng/g in those from Kénitra. The maximum recorded AFB1 level was 41.8 ng/g, while the maximum total AFs amount was 116.2 ng/g. This study revealed also that 38 (29.5%) and 12 (9.3%) out of 129 total samples exceeded the levels of 10 ng/g and 5 ng/g, which are the maximum levels set by Moroccan regulations of total AFs and AFB1 in some spices and aromatic plants, respectively.

Consumer Safety Considerations of Skin and Oral Microbiome Perturbation.

Microbiomes associated with human skin and the oral cavity are uniquely exposed to personal care regimes. Changes in the composition and activities of the microbial communities in these environments can be utilized to promote consumer health benefits, for example, by reducing the numbers, composition, or activities of microbes implicated in conditions such as acne, axillary odor, dandruff, and oral diseases. It is, however, important to ensure that innovative approaches for microbiome manipulation do not unsafely disrupt the microbiome or compromise health, and where major changes in the composition or activities of the microbiome may occur, these require evaluation to ensure that critical biological functions are unaffected. This article is based on a 2-day workshop held at SEAC Unilever, Sharnbrook, United Kingdom, involving 31 specialists in microbial risk assessment, skin and oral microbiome research, microbial ecology, bioinformatics, mathematical modeling, and immunology. The first day focused on understanding the potential implications of skin and oral microbiome perturbation, while approaches to characterize those perturbations were discussed during the second day. This article discusses the factors that the panel recommends be considered for personal care products that target the microbiomes of the skin and the oral cavity.

Alteration of flavonoid pigmentation patterns during domestication of food crops.

Flavonoids are plant pigments that provide health benefits for human and animal consumers. Understanding why domesticated crops have altered pigmentation patterns and unraveling the molecular/genetic mechanisms that underlie this will facilitate the breeding of new (healthier) varieties. We present an overview of changes in flavonoid pigmentation patterns that have occurred during crop domestication and, where possible, link them to the molecular changes that brought about the new phenotypes. We consider species that lost flavonoid pigmentation in the edible part of the plant at some point during domestication (like cereals). We also consider the converse situation, for example eggplant (aubergine), which instead gained strong anthocyanin accumulation in the skin of the fruit during domestication, and some varieties of citrus and apple that acquired anthocyanins in the fruit flesh. Interestingly, the genes responsible for such changes are sometimes closely linked to, or have pleiotropic effects on, important domestication genes, suggesting accidental and perhaps inevitable changes of anthocyanin patterning during domestication. In other cases, flavonoid pigmentation patterns in domesticated crops are the result of cultural preferences, with examples being found in varieties of citrus, barley, wheat, and maize. Finally, and more recently, in some species, anthocyanins seem to have been the direct target of selection in a second wave of domestication that followed the introduction of industrial food processing.

Effect of Honey & Olive Oil Supplemented Bio-Yoghurt Feeding on Lipid Profile, Blood Glucose and Hematological Parameters in Rats

Background and Objective: Yoghurt, especially bio-yoghurt has long been recognized as a product with many health benefits for consumers. Also, honey and olive oil have considerable nutritional and health effects. So, the effect of administration of yoghurt made using ABT culture and fortified with honey (2 and 6%), olive oil (1 and 4%) or honey + olive oil (2+1 and 6+4% respectively) on some biological and hematological properties of rats was investigated.Methods:The body weight gain, serum lipid level, blood glucose level, serum creatinine level, Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (GOT) activity, Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (GPT) activity, leukocytes and lymphocytes counts of rats were evaluated.Results:Blending of bio-yoghurt with rats' diet improved body weight gain. Concentrations of Total plasma Cholesterol (TC), High-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), Very Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL) and Triglycerides (TG) significantly lowered in plasma of rats fed bio-yoghurt. Levels of TC, LDL, VLDL, and TG also decreased in rat groups feed bio-yoghurt supplemented with honey and olive oil. LDL concentrations were reduced by 10.32, 18.51, 34.17, 22.48, 43.30% in plasma of rats fed classic starter yoghurt, ABT yoghurt, ABT yoghurt contained 6% honey, ABT yoghurt contained 4% olive oil and ABT yoghurt contained 6% honey + 4% olive oil respectively. The blood glucose, serum creatinine, GOT and GPT values of rats decreased while white blood cells and lymphocytes counts increased by feeding bioyoghurt contained honey and olive oil.Conclusion:The findings enhanced the multiple therapeutic effects of bio-yoghurt supplemented with honey and olive oil.

Minerals from Macroalgae Origin: Health Benefits and Risks for Consumers.

Seaweeds are well-known for their exceptional capacity to accumulate essential minerals and trace elements needed for human nutrition, although their levels are commonly very variable depending on their morphological features, environmental conditions, and geographic location. Despite this variability, accumulation of Mg, and especially Fe, seems to be prevalent in Chlorophyta, while Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta accumulate higher concentrations of Mn and I, respectively. Both red and brown seaweeds also tend to accumulate higher concentrations of Na, K, and Zn than green seaweeds. Their valuable mineral content grants them great potential for application in the food industry as new ingredients for the development of numerous functional food products. Indeed, many studies have already shown that seaweeds can be used as NaCl replacers in common foods while increasing their content in elements that are oftentimes deficient in European population. In turn, high concentrations of some elements, such as I, need to be carefully addressed when evaluating seaweed consumption, since excessive intake of this element was proven to have negative impacts on health. In this regard, studies point out that although very bioaccessible, I bioavailability seems to be low, contrarily to other elements, such as Na, K, and Fe. Another weakness of seaweed consumption is their capacity to accumulate several toxic metals, which can pose some health risks. Therefore, considering the current great expansion of seaweed consumption by the Western population, specific regulations on this subject should be laid down. This review presents an overview of the mineral content of prevalent edible European macroalgae, highlighting the main factors interfering in their accumulation. Furthermore, the impact of using these marine vegetables as functional ingredients or NaCl replacers in foods will be discussed. Finally, the relationship between macroalgae’s toxic metals content and the lack of European legislation to regulate them will be addressed.

Cultivar-specific responses in red sweet peppers grown under shade nets and controlled-temperature plastic tunnel environment on antioxidant constituents at harvest

Antioxidant constituents such as carotenoids (capsanthin, phytoene, lutein, β-cryptoxanthin), polyphenols content (p-coumaric, ferulic, p-hydroxybenzoic, caffeic acid, sinapic acid, and quercetin-3-glucoside) and marketable yield were investigated in 11 sweet pepper cultivars grown under controlled temperature plastic tunnel and white shade net. Marketable yield was not affected by either of the environments, while the interaction between cultivar and growing environment significantly affected the accumulation of antioxidant constituents. The principal component analysis illustrated that controlled temperature plastic tunnel improved the accumulation of carotenoid components and ascorbic acid and vitamin C content in most cultivars. On the contrary, white shade nets favoured the accumulation of phenolic compounds and ORAC activity in most cultivars. A strong correlation was noted between phytoene and carotenoid components in this study (capsanthin r = 0.60; P < 0.001; lutein r = 0.75; P < 0.001; β-carotene r = 0.78; P < 0.001) while ORAC correlated with phenolic compounds. Based on this study, it is possible to refine the choice of environment and cultivar to enhance individual antioxidant constituent groups to improve health benefits for consumers.

Developing functional yogurt rich in bioactive peptides and gamma-aminobutyric acid related to cardiovascular health

This study aimed to develop a novel functional yogurt through improves the production of bioactive components that have biological functions. Yogurts were manufactured from skim milk fortified with whey protein concentrate (WPC) and were fermented with high viscosity yogurt starter as a single or mixed with highly proteolytic co-culture. In one treatment, trypsin was used to partially hydrolysis of milk before fermentation with mixed starter. Yogurts were investigated for viscosity, water-holding capacity (WHC), sensory attributes, proteolytic activity, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content and biological activities. The fortification with WPC increased the viscosity and WHC, while addition of trypsin decreased the values of these properties. High proteolytic and biological activities were observed by addition of WPC and mixed starter whereas treatment with trypsin had greater effects. Yogurt treated with mixed starter and trypsin had the high content of GABA. Sensorial, all yogurt treatments were acceptable and the yogurt treated with highly proteolytic co-culture gained the highest score. The biological activities and GABA content of all yogurts increased after 14 days of cold storage. It is concluded that highly proteolytic starter and partial proteolysis could be used to produce functional yogurt enriched in bioactive peptides and GABA with cardiovascular health benefits for consumers.

Effects of foliar nitrogen fertilization on the phenolic, mineral, and amino acid composition of escarole (Cichorium endivia L. var. latifolium)

Abstract Nitrogen has a pivotal role in determining the quality of horticultural products, and foliar fertilization strategies could achieve higher nutrient use efficiencies while reducing environmental impacts and potentially enhancing consumer health benefits. Escarole (Cichorium endivia L. var. latifolium) plants were grown in nutrient solution, either complete or without N, and sprayed with different concentrations of foliar urea (0, 1, 5, and 10 g L−1). Total protein in the leaves was increased by the elevated concentrations of urea but the levels of total phenolics and total soluble sugars were lower. The contents of minerals in plants not receiving N in the nutrient solution were, in general, significantly increased by urea applications, but those of Cu and Zn were decreased. Additionally, the amino acids concentrations were boosted after urea application, whatever the composition of the irrigation solution, arginine, serine, and alanine being the most abundant amino acids. In conclusion, foliar N fertilization was an effective strategy to enhance the nutritional properties.

Production of omega-3 enriched tilapia through the dietary use of algae meal or fish oil: Improved nutrient value of fillet and offal.

The goal of this project was to increase the nutrient value of fillets, by-product muscle, and offal of aquacultured tilapia. A diet that includes seafood with a high omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid content, more specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are known to have numerous health benefits for consumers. Improved nutrient value of the offal may also attract new market opportunities for the aquaculture industry. Tilapia were cultured on different experimental feeds that contained various levels of n-3 fatty acids from either fish oil (FO) or algae meal (AM) that were used to replace corn oil. The experimental diets included a control (corn oil 6.3%), FO1%, FO3%, FO5%, AM1.75%, AM5.26%, and AM8.77%. All diets were formulated to be isocaloric, isonitrogenous, and isolipid. Three hundred and fifty tilapia with an initial mean weight of 158±2 g were cultured in a recirculating aquaculture system (seven diets replicated at the tank level, 14 tanks, 25 fish per tank). For all of the production performance data, no differences (P>0.05) were observed between the experimental groups which included survival (overall mean ± standard error, 99.4±0.3%), growth per week (45.4±1.0 g/wk), food conversion ratio (1.32±0.03), fillet yield (44.4±0.2%), hepatosomatic index (1.61±0.02), viscerosomatic index (2.86±0.06), and mesenteric fat index (0.97±0.04). Fillet and rib meat tissues were collected at weeks four and eight, and liver and mesenteric fat tissues were collected at week eight. Fatty acids were extracted, methylated and identified with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. All tissues had improved fatty acid profiles (higher n-3, lower n-6, n-6:n-3) with increasing levels of FO and AM in the diet. For example, the best diet for significantly (P<0.05) improving the lipid profile in tilapia fillets at week eight was diet AM8.77%. In the fillet, total n-3 was increased (control versus AM8.77%) from 151.2±19.0 to 438.7±14.2 mg per 4 ounce (113 g) serving and n-6:n-3 ratio was improved from 5.19±0.76 to 1.29±0.03.

Survival of probiotics in soyoghurt plus mulberry (c.v. Chiang Mai 60) leaf extract during refrigerated storage and their ability to tolerate gastrointestinal transit

This study aimed to examine the influence of mulberry leaf extract (MLE) on viability of Lactobacillus casei 01 and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5 in soyoghurt during refrigerated storage (4 °C) for 30 days. Changes of physiochemical characteristics and sensory attributes of probiotic-soyoghurts supplemented with MLE were investigated. The findings revealed increased antioxidative effects of probiotic-soyoghurts and minimized probiotic cell loss over prolonged storage upon supplementation with MLE, while increased levels of acidity and syneresis were observed. On sensory attributes, all samples showed similar scores for all sensory attributes regardless MLE or probiotic strains. However, overall likeability slightly reduced in the products after 30 days of storage. Based on the study under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions, comparing between soyoghurts with and without MLE addition, both probiotics showed no significant difference in their survivals of tolerance to gastric and bile fluids. Soyoghurt containing L. casei 01 and MLE demonstrated the greatest antioxidative properties and highest level of probiotic survivors throughout refrigerated storage. This study contributes to the future development and applications of the mulberry leaf extract as a potential ingredient in novel probiotic foods with enhanced consumer health benefits.

Phenolic acid, carotenoid composition, and antioxidant activity of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) at different maturation stages

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to investigate the phenolic acid and carotenoid composition of bitter melon and to evaluate its antioxidant activity. The harvest starts from 5–35 days after fertilization. With increasing maturation, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and catechin contents increased, while caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid contents decreased. With increasing maturation, all carotenoids contents increased. Although lycopene content was not detected for 20 days after fertilization, its content increased to 842.0 μg/g at 35 days after fertilization. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were increased to 639.4 and 203.3 mg/100 g after 35 days. Free radical scavenging activities increased with increasing maturation. This suggests that bitter melon is a good source of natural antioxidants and might have potential health benefits for consumers as a functional food or value-added ingredient.

Biogenic Amine Formation in Reformulated Cooked Sausage Without Added Nitrite

The purpose of this study was to assess the formation of biogenic amines (BA) during chilled storage (60 days) in cooked sausages made without added nitrite. Various combinations of ingredients celery, sodium lactate, carmine, orange dietary fibre and vitamins C and E - were used as substitutes for nitrite. BA levels were low irrespective of formulation, the largest variations between products were found in the case of cadaverine. The lowest (P < 0.05) cadaverine content was registered in samples with 0.1% added vitamin C, which also registered the lowest levels of enterobacteria and residual nitrite. The process offers health and safety benefits for consumers, and this strategy could thus be a good alternative to reduce and/or eliminate added nitrite in sausages and maintain product quality and safety (including BA formation) without this posing any risk to healthy consumers.

Deep or air frying? A comparative study with different vegetable oils

A comparative study of deep‐frying and air‐frying was performed, using two commercial air‐frying equipment's and four common frying oils − sunflower, soybean, canola, and olive oils. Fried potatoes were compared in terms of color, moisture, lipid composition and degradation indicators, tocopherols, total ascorbic acid, β‐carotene, antioxidant activity, acrylamide, and sensory analysis. The results show that fried potatoes obtained by air‐frying processes presented an average of 70% less fat, which leads to a reduction of 45 kcal per 100 g. Most chemical parameters were similar on both frying processes, including acrylamide content, or showed slightly better results with air‐frying process, namely ascorbic acid amounts. However, incorporated fat was more damaged in deep‐fried potatoes, with a significant increase on both p‐anisidine and polar compounds. Despite the less significant differences observed in the two air‐frying equipment's tested, lipid oxidation allowed their distinction, particularly p‐anisidine that was higher in Airfryer than Actifry, independently of the oil type. All tested oils behaved similarly, and were mainly responsible for potatoes enrichment in tocopherols, phenolics, and β‐carotene, but lower lipid oxidation was observed with olive oil. From the assessor's perspective, taste and odor qualities were more determinant for acceptability of fried potatoes than color.Practical applications: Air‐frying has emerged in recent years as a healthier alternative to deep‐frying. The direct comparison of deep‐frying and air‐frying technologies with different vegetables oils shows that air‐frying process presents health benefits for consumers, with less fat ingestion and less fat oxidation, particularly when using olive oil, but also economic and ecological advantages due to reduced amount of oil used and no effluent after frying.A direct comparison of potatoes frying in two air‐frying systems using different vegetable oils showed health benefits to the consumers when compared with deep‐frying, both by the reduced amount of incorporated fat and lower fat degradation degree.

Using Probiotics Instead of Pharmaceuticals to Treat Gastrointestinal Disorders

Gastrointestinal disorders affect the majority of the population. While many people can go to the store and buy an antacid to alleviate their symptoms, millions of people each month seek out treatment from a physician and are prescribed H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to treat their digestive discomfort. Antacids used for a short period of time do not typically exhibit any negative side effects. If used properly, H2 blockers present very few side effects or negative health outcomes. PPIs on the other hand, are being linked to a myriad of serious side effects and permanent long-term health complications. Now that H2 blockers and PPIs are available for purchase without a prescription, it is virtually impossible to track the symptoms or disorders that are being treated with these medications. Probiotics are natural, healthy bacteria that offer the consumer health benefits from consumption. Probiotics are being studied for their role in positive health outcomes as well as treatment options for a variety of disease states including gastrointestinal disorders. Many strains of probiotics have been shown to alleviate symptoms of digestive tract discomfort as well as enhancing the microbiome. Given the severity of long-term use of antacids, H2 blockers, and PPIs, more research needs to be put into using probiotics to treat gastrointestinal disorders. Physicians and patients need to explore the possibility of using probiotics to treat gastrointestinal disorders in place of using pharmaceuticals that can have very serious, and potentially deadly, side effects.

Fatty Acid Profile of Fat of Grass Carp, Bighead Carp, Siberian Sturgeon, and Wels Catfish

The objective of this study was to determine fish species differences in fatty acid profile of the fat of farmed grass carp, bighead carp, Siberian sturgeon, and wels catfish so as to compare the consumer health benefits they provide. Fatty acid composition range was as follows: saturated fatty acids (SFA), 16.32%–32.96%; monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 41.84%–55.31%; and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), 13.4%–26.31%. The total content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in 100 g of muscle tissue of the fish examined in the current study was 62.61 mg for grass carp, 150.51 mg for wels catfish, 488.67 mg for bighead carp, and 619.06 mg for Siberian sturgeon. The ratios of n-6/n-3 (0.44–1.72) and PUFA/SFA (0.45–1.61) in the fat of the fish analyzed were beneficial.

Development of a Fresh-cut Product Based on Pears and the Subsequent Evaluation of Its Shelf Life under Commercial Conditions and after a Cold Chain Break

Processing of pears as a fresh-cut product could offer added value and introduce a product into the market that offers greater convenience and health benefits for consumers. Cultivar selection is one of the most important considerations for fresh-cut fruit processing because characteristics such as flesh texture, skin colour, and browning potential can vary greatly among cultivars. Four pear cultivars (‘Flor de invierno’, ‘Passe-Crassane’, ‘Ercolini’ and ‘Conference’) and four antioxidant treatments, that is, (NS) 50 g L-1 NatureSeal® AS1 (Agricoat) solution, (AsAc) 20 g L-1 ascorbic acid + 10 g L-1 citric acid + 10 g L-1 calcium chloride solution, (CaAs) 20 g L-1 calcium ascorbate + 10 g L-1 calcium chloride solution and (NaAs) 20 g L-1 sodium ascorbate + 10 g L-1 calcium chloride solution, were tested to obtain a high-quality fresh-cut pear. For the selected cultivar and treatment, the nutritional changes and physicochemical, microbial and sensorial quality were evaluated under conditions that simulated commercial application followed by storage at 4 °C and a simulated cold chain break at 8°C. The ‘Conference’ pear was selected as the best cultivar based on its physicochemical characteristics (high levels of soluble solids content and low acidity), low increase in browning index, and visual acceptance after 7 days of storage. The results demonstrated that CaAs maintained the fresh-cut pear quality after 8 days of storage at 4°C and also after a cold chain break. Furthermore, application of the selected treatment produced an increase in the ascorbic acid content, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of minimally processed pear samples. These values were reduced during shelf life, but the total phenolic content at the final sampling point was higher than that of fresh-cut pears after processing without treatment.