Optimization of strawberry disinfection by fogging of a mixture of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide based on microbial reduction, color and phytochemicals retention

FRANCO VAN DE VELDE; MARÍA CELIA VACCARI; ANDREA PIAGENTINI; MARÍA ÉLIDA PIROVANI

FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL

SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD

Lugar: New York; Año: 2016 vol. 22 p. 485 - 495

1082-0132

The foggingof strawberries using a environmentally friendly sanitizer mixture of peraceticacid (5%) and hydrogen peroxide (20%) was performed in a model chamber and modeledas a function of the concentration (3.4, 20.0, 60.0, 100.0 and 116.6 µL sanitizer L-1air chamber) and the treatment time (5.7, 15.0, 37.5, 60.0 and 69.3 min).The sanitizer fogging was adequate for reducing total mesophilic microbial andyeasts and moulds counts of fruits until 7 days of storage at 2 °C. However, sanitizer oxidant properties adversely affectedthe content of total anthocyanins, total phenolics,vitamin C, and antioxidant capacity to various degrees, with some deleterious changes in the fruits color,depending on the fogging conditions. A multiplenumeric response optimization was developed based on 2.0 log microbiologicalreduction, maximum phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity retentions, with nochanges in the fruits color, being the optimal fogging conditions achieved: 10.1 µL sanitizer L-1 air chamber and 29.6min. The fogging of strawberries atthese conditions may represent a promising postharvest treatment option forextending their shelf-life without affecting their sensory quality andbioactive properties.