Effect of packaging material on the quality of fresh-cut beet leaves packed in modified atmospheres

JAGUS, ROSA JUANA; FERNANDEZ MARÍA VERÓNICA; AGÜERO MARÍA VICTORIA

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2020

0145-8892

This study aims to evaluate the effect of packaging system, including packaging materials with low, medium and high oxygen permeance (OP), with or without initial atmosphere modification (IAM: 5 kPaO2- 10 kPaCO2- 85 kPaN2) on minimally processed beet leaves (MPBL) overall quality during 8 d of storage at 12ºC. Changes on microbial quality, pH, moisture content and antioxidant capacity were independent of the packaging system. Samples with or without IAM achieved dynamic equilibrium in 24 or 144 h, respectively. High, medium and low OP material stabilized at 8 kPaO2- 3.5 kPaCO2, 6 kPaO2- 6 kPaCO2 and 0 kPaO2- 20 kPaCO2, respectively. Low-OP presented anoxia conditions. High-OP material maintained total soluble solids and carotenoids and presented the highest retentions of betalains, chlorophyll, and total phenolics during storage. Moreover, active modified atmosphere packaging (with IAM) yielded significant improvements on bioactives retention. Hence, high-OP material with IAM is recommended for MPBL preservation.